Saffron Ice Cream Bastani Irani Recipes

PERSIAN ICE CREAM (BASTANI)

Steps:

• Dissolve corn starch in ½ cup milk and stir well until smooth.
• Take the remaining milk and sugar in a large saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium high heat.
• Lower the heat and whisk in the corn starch-milk mixture, stirring constantly. Simmer until it reaches a thin custard consistency or coats the back of a spoon. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool on an ice bath.
• Using a small mortar and pestle, grind the saffron with a pinch of salt until it is a fine powder. Dissolve it in the rose water and let it soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in saffron-rose water, heavy cream and vanilla until well combined.
• Chill the mixture in refrigerator for several hours/overnight or over an ice bath (by setting the saucepan in a larger bowl partially filled with ice and water).
• Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the pistachios in the end just when the ice cream is starting to set. Check note below about cream chunks.

BASTANI SONATI (SAFFRON AND ROSE WATER ICE CREAM) RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Pour 1/2 cup of heavy cream into a small, flat, rimmed plate or bowl and freeze until frozen solid, about 1 hour.
• In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup of milk with the cornstarch. Stir until completely smooth. Set aside.
• Using a mortar and pestle , grind the saffron threads to a fine powder. Set aside.
• Combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, the remaining 2 2/3 cups milk, sugar, mastic powder, salt, and vanilla in a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes, being sure to stir the mixture frequently to avoid any milk crusting on the bottom.
• Reduce the flame to low when the milk starts to steam. Do not boil.
• Add the ground saffron and rosewater, stirring to combine. The milk mixture should turn a vibrant golden color and become quite aromatic.
• Stir the milk-cornstarch mixture once more and add it to the saucepan. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until the mixture has thickened slightly, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a medium shallow bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or up to overnight.
• Transfer the chilled milk mixture to an ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Break the frozen heavy cream into 1/2-inch pieces or smaller. Add with the pistachios to the ice cream's final churning stage. Once churning is complete, the ice cream will have a soft and creamy texture, with visible pieces of pistachio and white flakes of frozen heavy cream. Alternatively, freeze the ice cream longer for a firmer texture, about 2 hours more.
• Transfer the ice cream to an air-tight, freezer-safe container. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on the ice cream's surface to prevent ice crystals from forming, and freeze for long-term storage.

SAFFRON ICE CREAM (BASTANI IRANI)

Steps:

• Grind the saffron with 1 tsp of sugar with a mortar and pestle. In a small bowl combine the saffron with the boiling water. Let steep for 10-15 minutes or while you prepare the other ingredients.
• In a medium saucepan, gently heat (on low) the whole milk, 1/4 cup of the cream, cardamom, salt and vanilla, until it steams/heats all the way through.
• While the milk mixture is heating up, whip the egg yolks and sugar in a glass measuring jar until pale and double in size. This should take about 5-6 minutes. You do not need a stand mixer for this just use a whisk and some elbow grease.
• Pour in about 1/4 cup of the milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk. You want to temper the egg yolks so they do not curdle or cook. If the egg mixture is still thick add another 1/4 cup of the milk mixture. Mix and then pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the milk mixture. Add the bloomed saffron, stir to combine.
• Using a wooden spoon or a spatula continue to stir the custard until it thickens. About 10 minutes (on low heat). The custard will coat the spoon or spatula when it has thickened enough. Remove from heat.
• In a large bowl place the remaining 1 cup of whipping cream. Place a sieve on top and strain the custard (to avoid any curdled bits). Stir in the rosewater and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge to cool for 8 hours or overnight.
• Churn the mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the toasted pistachios towards the last five minutes of churning. Transfer to a freezer-safe ice cream container and allow to freeze for at least 2 hours.
• Bring the ice cream out 10-15 minutes prior to serving so it softens up. Serve with more toasted pistachios or in a cone!

BASTANI (PERSIAN ROSE WATER, SAFFRON AND PISTACHIO ICE CREAM)

Steps:

• In a medium thick-bottomed bot, slowly heat the milk to boiling while stirring. Add the vanilla extract and saffron. Continue to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally while doing the next step.
• Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until smooth and foamy. Very carefully and slowly, pour the egg/sugar mixture into the milk. Make sure to stir it rapidly with a fork or use a whisk while pouring (or you will end up with scrambled eggs in the ice cream!).
• Continue heating the mixture on low heat while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened (it should be foamy and coat the spoon).
• Pour the custard mixture into a bowl, and refrigerate until well chilled.
• Once cold, stir in the cream, rose water or extract, and chopped pistachios.
• Churn in an ice cream maker until finished (or, stick in the freezer and vigorously stir every 30 minutes or so to break up the ice crystals, until it is homogenous and frozen).