Go Back

Malai Kulfi

Servings 16 4 Oz (1/2 cup) servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Rest Time 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 30 minutes

Equipment

  • Straight sided, heavy bottomed saucepan
  • Silicone semi sphere molds or traditional kulfi molds
  • Spice grinder

Ingredients

  • 6 cups Whole milk Do not substitute with low fat or skim milk
  • 1.5 cups Condensed milk
  • 2 cups Whipping cream
  • 10 Pistachios raw, unsalted, shelled
  • 10 Almonds blanched and skins removed
  • 4 Green Cardamom pods

Instructions

  • Transfer the pistachios and the seeds from the cardamom pods to a spice grinder and pulse until you have coarse powder. Do not over mix since this could result in the nuts releasing a lot of their oils. Set aside.
  • Pour 6 cups of whole milk into the heavy bottomed saucepan to reduce gently over medium to medium low heat. The milk needs to be reduced until the volume is reduced to half the original volume - 3 cups. See my Tip at the end of this recipe.
  • Continue to reduce the milk over a low heat, stirring every minute or so to make sure the milk doesn’t begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. This could take 45 minutes to an hour.
  • When the milk has reduced by half, turn off the heat.
  • Add the whipping cream, condensed milk, and the nut powder to the reduced milk and stir until they are fully combined. You can set aside a tsp of the nut powder for garnish, this is optional.
  • Turn the heat back on and reduce this mixture for another 20-30 minutes while stirring frequently until the mixture is reduced by 40% again. Use the same method as before to check if the mixture is reduced enough.
  • Turn the heat off and bring the mixture to room temperature.
  • Place the silicone or kulfi molds on a cookie sheet, spoon the kulfi mixture into the molds.
  • Transfer to the freezer and freeze for 6 hours, preferably overnight.

To Serve

  • Unmold the Kulfi onto a dessert plate. Garnish with the reserved nut powder and serve after 2-3 minutes when the kulfi has just begun to melt.

Notes

  • There are a couple keys to success with this recipe - To avoid crystals in the frozen kulfi, reduce the milk until it is reduced by half and use whole milk and whipping cream or heavy cream.
  • This is the OG kulfi flavor. However, you can use this recipe as a base to add other flavors like saffron, pistachio paste, and rose.
  • Kulfi can last for up to 6 months in the freezer, making it a great recipe to make ahead in bulk for a dinner party or for late night dessert cravings.
  • In the picture above, I have garnished the kulfi with crumbled feuilletine, a paper thin french cookie, for a textural contrast.
Tip: To check if your liquid has reduced enough
Measure the depth of the milk using a toothpick when you begin reducing the milk, and make a tiny mark to remember the initial depth of the milk.
You now have a handy gauge to check if the milk has reduced by half. This is the reason I recommend using a straight sided pan to reduce milk.
Use the same technique to check if the kulfi mixture is ready to be taken off the heat after adding cream and condensed milk.