Kesar Pista Ice Cream (Saffron & Pistachios)| Gluten-free, Eggless!
Kesar Pista ice cream, this classic creamy indulgence never goes out of style! This gluten-free, eggless, delightful homemade treat uses just 4 ingredients, captures the essence of saffron and pistachios and needs only 5 minutes of prep!
How to make homemade ice cream Soft and Fluffy?
With just 2 simple tricks you’ll have a smooth, creamy texture for your homemade ice cream:
1) Ingredients: It is essential to use the right ratio and type of ingredients:
- Cream: Make sure the milk base used is high in fat content. In this recipe, I have used a combination of heavy whipping cream and half and half. You can also use condensed milk. The lower the water content, the better. Refer to this link for details about the fat content in the milk.
- Sugar: The use of inadequate amount of sugar (too low) results in a hard texture and too high makes it too soft. Follow the recipe card for the right amount of sugar.
2) Churning: We all want to skip churning, however, the air incorporated into the mixture by churning is an essential step to making the ice cream fluffy and smooth. The ice cream machine I’ve used is the Whynter ICM-200LS Automatic Ice Cream Maker 2.1 Quart Capacity with Built-in Compressor. In this machine, churning for 20-25 minutes gives the right texture. Avoid over-mixing as the fat content in the cream starts separating.
Can this recipe be made vegan?
Absolutely! Here are a few options for making this recipe vegan:
- Coconut cream is an excellent substitute for heavy whipping cream. Full-fat coconut milk is also a great option.
- Oats: A combination of cooked and blended oats, oat milk and cashews provide a nice base for ice cream.
- Nuts: You can opt for almond milk and cashew paste for a thick creamy base for the ice cream.
How to make Kesar Pista Ice Cream (Eggless, Gluten-Free)?
How to prepare Saffron for ice cream?
Given that Saffron is the most expensive spice, we want to ensure using just the right amount for getting the exclusive flavor and color. Here are a few tips to make that happen:
1) Quality: Use a good quality saffron with a floral scent and deep color. Check if the brand meets ISO 3632 requirements for pure saffron.
2) Strands vs Ground: While some recipes suggest grinding saffron, it may result in overpowering the flavor of saffron in the ice cream. If you don’t prefer leaving the strands in the ice cream, you can sieve them off.
3) Steeping: Warm half and half in the microwave or over the stovetop, and steep saffron strands. When steeped, the strands impart their signature color to the milk. Impure saffron loses color and sinks to the bottom when soaked. Pure saffron strands float and retain color even after being soaked. DO NOT soak saffron in water as this will result in making your ice cream icy.
What Can I substitute for saffron?
There is no substitute for the flavor of saffron. The color tone of saffron is very close to that of turmeric however, for desserts it is an absolute NO to using turmeric. You may opt for artificial food coloring by mixing orange and yellow to replicate the color.
What pairings work well with saffron?
Saffron pairs beautifully with:
- Natural floral flavors like cardamom (like in this recipe!), rosewater, and kewra.
- Nuts like pistachios, cashews, and almonds.
What ingredients do I need to make Kesar Pista ice cream?
You just need 4 ingredients for making this delightful treat!
- Cream Base: For a rich creamy texture, you need a combination of high-quality heavy whipping cream and half and half in a 1:3 ratio.
- Sweetener: I’ve used granulated white sugar as it helps stabilize the mixture. You can use a plant based sweetener. However, the quantity may vary based on the brand used.
- Flavor: Saffron-Cardamom is a heavenly combination in my opinion. It tends a royal yet delicately floral flavor to the Kesar Pista ice cream.
- Nuts: Dry roasted pistachios and cashews work beautifully with saffron-cardamom flavor and add a crunchy bite to the ice cream. Feel free to use any other nuts of your choice.
Step by Step process of making Kesar Pista ice cream
Preparation:
1. Prepare your ice cream machine as per the instructions (Pic#1). I’m using a compressor based ice cream maker in this recipe and hence didn’t require freezing the canister overnight. I positioned the ice cream maker in a well-ventilated spot to make sure the air vents are not blocked.
2. Saffron steeping: Steep 1 tbsp saffron strands in 1 cup warm half and half (Pic#2). Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
3. Temperature: Make sure the whipping cream and saffron infused half and half are chilled.
4. Nuts: Lightly toast the shelled pistachios and cashews until crunchy (Pic#3). Once cool, roughly chop them and chill in the refrigerator (Pic#4).
5. Storage Container: Freeze an airtight storage container to transfer the ice cream from the machine.
Making the Ice cream Mixture:
- In a mixing bowl, add 3 cups of heavy whipping cream (Pic#5). Add in sugar and gently mix.
- Then, add in the saffron infused half and half mixture to the mixing bowl (Pic#7). Stir until mixed.
- Add in ground cardamom and nuts (Pic#8,9). Mix all ingredients by stirring.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into the canister of the ice cream machine (with the paddle attachment) .
Pro Tip: In case you’re not using an ice cream machine, whip this mixture using a hand blender, transfer to a chilled airtight container, cover with a plastic wrap, and put in the freezer for about 6-8 hours.
Setting up the Ice Cream Maker:
- Follow instructions for your ice cream maker to set it up (Pic#11). Place the canister with the ice cream mixture, ensure that the paddle attachment and the lid are secured, and power it on.
- The paddle attachment starts churning the ice cream (Pic#12). Unlike the freeze drum model, in this ice cream maker, there is no need to scrape the contents from the walls of the freeze drum.
- In about 20-25 minutes, the ice cream attains the desired consistency (Pic#13). At this point, take out the storage container from the freezer, turn off the machine and quickly transfer the ice cream into the container (Pic#14). For soft serve, you can enjoy the ice cream immediately. For a slightly firmer texture, freeze for about 2-3 hours.
Serving Suggestion:
Serve your favorite Kesar Pista ice cream chilled, garnished with chopped pistachios, almonds and rose petals for a touch of glam!
Related Recipes:
KESAR PISTA ICE CREAM (SAFFRON & PISTACHIOS)| GLUTEN-FREE, EGGLESS!
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker Whynter ICM-200LS Automatic Ice Cream Maker 2.1 Quart Capacity with Built-in Compressor
Ingredients
Cream Base
- 1 cup Half and Half Organic
- 3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Flavor
- 1 tbsp Saffron Strands
- 1 tsp Ground Cardamom
Nuts
- ⅓ cup Shelled Pistachios
- ⅓ cup Cashews
Sweetener
- 1 cup Granulated White Sugar
Instructions
Preparation
- Prepare your ice cream machine as per the instructions. I'm using a compressor based ice cream maker in this recipe and hence didn't require freezing the canister overnight. I positioned the ice cream maker in a well-ventilated spot to make sure the air vents are not blocked.
- Steep 1 tbsp saffron strands in 1 cup warm half and half. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
- Make sure the whipping cream and saffron infused half and half are chilled.
- Lightly toast the shelled pistachios and cashews until crunchy. Once cool, roughly chop them and chill in the refrigerator.
- Freeze an airtight storage container to transfer the ice cream from the machine.
Making the Ice cream Mixture
- In a mixing bowl, add heavy whipping cream. Add in sugar and gently mix. Then, add in the saffron infused half and half mixture to the mixing bowl. Stir until mixed.
- Add in ground cardamom and nuts. Mix all ingredients by stirring.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into the canister of the ice cream machine (with the paddle attachment)
Setting up the ice cream Maker
- Follow instructions for your ice cream maker to set it up. Place the canister with the ice cream mixture, ensure that the paddle attachment and the lid are secured, and power it on.
- In about 20-25 minutes, the ice cream attains the desired consistency. At this point, take out the storage container from the freezer, turn off the machine and quickly transfer the ice cream into the container. For soft serve, you can enjoy the ice cream immediately. For a slightly firmer texture, freeze for about 2-3 hours.
Serving
- Serve your favorite Kesar Pista ice cream chilled, garnished with chopped pistachios.