Indian · Desserts

Kulfi

Milk boiled down by half and frozen hard in moulds. Denser than ice cream because it is never churned.

Not yet ratedThis recipe has no ratings yet 1 hr hands on plus 6 hr freezing Serves 6 servings Easy
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Kulfi — Indian desserts recipe, served and ready to eat

Photograph credit: A sweet made in Kushtia, called Kulfi Malai by মোঃ সাকিবুল হাসান · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Method

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  1. Bring the milk to the boil in a wide heavy pan, then turn it down to a steady simmer.

  2. Simmer 35 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the skin from the sides back into the pan.

  3. When it has reduced by half, stir in the sugar, cardamom and saffron.

  4. Stir the cornflour slurry and pour it in, stirring hard, and cook 3 minutes until it thickens.

  5. Take off the heat and stir in most of the pistachios and almonds, keeping some back.

  6. Cool to room temperature, stirring now and then to stop a skin forming.

  7. Pour into kulfi moulds or small cups and freeze 6 hours, until solid.

  8. Dip the moulds in warm water for 10 seconds to turn them out.

  9. Scatter the reserved nuts over and serve at once.

Chef’s Tips

  • Scrape the skin back in as it forms.
  • Reduced by half, not a third — that is what stops ice crystals.
  • Ten seconds in warm water and it slides straight out.

Pairing Suggestions

  • Falooda
  • Rose syrup
  • Fresh mango

Storage & Reheating

Keeps 1 month frozen, wrapped, without losing texture.

Common questions

How long does Kulfi take to make?

About 1 hour of hands-on work — 15 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking — plus 6 hours of freezing, so allow 7 hours from start to finish. The recipe serves 6.

What are the key tips for making Kulfi?

Scrape the skin back in as it forms. Reduced by half, not a third — that is what stops ice crystals. Ten seconds in warm water and it slides straight out.

What should I serve with Kulfi?

Falooda; Rose syrup; Fresh mango.

How should Kulfi be stored?

Keeps 1 month frozen, wrapped, without losing texture.

Is Kulfi suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Kulfi?

About 340 kcal per serving, with 11 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate and 16 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

340Calories
11gProtein
38gCarbs
16gFat
2gFibre
34gSugar
130mgSodium

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Written and tested by Turab

One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.