With summer approaching, there is no better Indian dessert than luscious, creamy homemade kulfi.
Kulfi is an Indian frozen dessert that is made by slowly evaporating and thickening sweetened milk. The milk is flavored with a variety of ingredients like saffron (kesar), cardamom (elaichi), nuts, fruits (usually mango), and even rose water.
Kulfi is similar to ice cream in flavour and texture, but it can stand on its own. It was traditionally prepared and served in small clay pots known as matkas. Special kulfi moulds, like popsicle moulds, are now available in the market.
There are numerous kulfi recipes, each slightly different from the next. Traditionally, thick and fatty milk is reduced until it is semi-condensed. To save time, modern recipes call for shortcut ingredients like evaporated milk, condensed milk, milk powder, and cornflour. If you use a slurry (cornflour, rice flour, or plain custard powder paste), make sure to properly cook it so that the 'floury' taste does not linger at the end.
In this recipe, we have made kulfi using whole milk, sugar and milk powder. Added cashew nuts paste, some sprinkle of fresh cardamom powder, and lots of pulpy mangoes. All of these ingredients combine to make a delicious and creamy kulfi. We can't think of anything better to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather than crunchy cashews and luscious, sweet mangoes.
Ingredients:
Whole milk – 3 cups
Cashew nut paste – 3 tbsp. (made from around 20 Sampoorna nuts cashews)
Mango pulp/puree – 1 1/2 – 2 cups (add less for a mild mango taste and more for a rich mango flavor)
Milk powder (full fat) – 3/4 cup
Condensed milk – 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
Saffron – a pinch (optional, I didn’t have it)
Sugar – 1/4 – 1/2 cup (depends on the sweetness of the mangoes used)
Method:
Start heating the milk in a large, thick-bottomed pan. To the milk, add cardamom powder and saffron. Do not allow it to come to a boil right now.
To the slightly hot milk, add sugar, milk powder, and condensed milk. Stir well and let it come to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and let the milk reduce. Keep stirring every now and then, scraping down the creamy bits that gather at the sides of the pan.
Meanwhile, soak the cashew nuts in warm water for 5 minutes before coarsely grinding them with a little water or milk.
When the milk has reduced and thickened considerably (it will take around 20 minutes), turn off the stove.
Add the cashew nut paste and mix well.
Allow the milk mixture to completely cool. Add the mango pulp and mix well (the kulfi mixture will thicken further.). We have used canned mango pulp, but you could puree fresh mangoes and strain it to remove the fibres.
Fill kulfi moulds, popsicle moulds, small glasses, or ramekins with the mixture. Cover tightly and place in the freezer until solid (at least 8 hours).
To remove the frozen kulfi, dip the mold/ramekin in warm water for a minute and invert onto a plate.
Use Sampoorna premium quality cashews and full-fat milk for this super cool homemade Cashew Mango Kulfi recipe and you will end up with a little slice of heaven!
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