4 delicious Kulfi recipes to beat the summer heat

There is nothing quite as refreshing and heavenly as a frozen treat in summer season when the mercury soars. Kulfi is one such summer delights that makes the summer heat bearable. As the sweet treat melts into your mouth, you are sure to forget all your worries for some time. Kulfi is said to have originated in Mughal era where the mix of dense and creamy milk was flavoured with pistachios and saffron, poured into metal cones and immersed in slurry ice till the frozen delight was ready. Kulfi has had a long journey since then and is available in all sorts of flavours and shapes nowadays. (Also read: Delicious homemade chaat recipes for summer season)

If you too are making a list of things or food items that can help beat the heat, Kulfi should definitely be included.

Here are some interesting Kulfi recipes you can try making at home during hot summer days, as shared by Executive Chef Swapnadeep Mukherjee, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa.

1. GULAB KULFI

Ingredients

Sugar – 100 gm

Full cream milk – 500 ml

Corn flour – 50 gm

Cardamom powder – 2 gm

Almond chopped – 30 gm

Gulkand – 20 gm

Rose water – 10 ml

Fresh cream – 150 ml

Rose petal – 5 gm

Method:

– Heat milk in a pan medium over low heat and let it boil for around ten minutes. Add sugar to it and stir well. Let the milk boil until sugar dissolves completely. Now add the corn flour into the milk and whisk well to dissolve completely.

– Reduce the heat to low and keep stirring for 10 minutes. Once the milk has thickened, add cardamom powder, almond and gulkand. Stir well until the gulkand is combined well. Add cream and rose water, mix well. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes.

– Turn off the heat and let the kulfi mixture cool. Now pour the kulfi mixture in kulfi mould, cover it and freeze for at least 4-5 hours or till the kulfi is well set.

– Now take out the kulfis from the mould with the help of a knife and garnish with rose petals and serve.

2. RANGBHARI KULFI

Ingredients

Milk full cream – 1500 ml

Green cardamom powder – 5 gm

Sugar – 75 gm

Saffron – 5 gm

Basil leaves (tulsi) fresh – 2 tbsp

Almonds (blanched, skinned, slivered) – 1 tbsp

Pista (slivered) – 1 tbsp

Cream – 3 tbsp

Method:

– Put the milk into a wide, heavy pan and bring to boil over high heat, stirring constantly.

– Now lower the heat and cook the milk, stirring constantly, until it has thickened and reduced to about 40%. Stir the sides of the pan constantly to avoid scalding.

– Now add nuts and cardamom seeds, stir well, divide into three.

– To one part add saffron strands, to other part add basil leaf puree and cream to the third part. Let it cool for sometime.

– Pour the mixture into kulfi moulds alternating and distributing evenly. Cover and freeze until set. Garnish with nuts and serve.

3. THANDAI KULFI

Ingredients

2 litre milk (full cream)

Almonds – 20 gm

Pistachio – 20 gm

Green cardamom – 4-5 no

Thandai syrup – 150 gm

Sugar – optional

Method:

– Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan on slow heat.

– Add crushed green cardamom and simmer till reduced by half.

– Strain and put on fire again on slow heat.

– Continue stirring and scraping the sides to avoid burning.

– Now add blanched, skinned and slivered almonds and pistachio. Reduce further till 1/3rd remaining. Take off fire. Cool and add thandai syrup. Mix thoroughly.

– Add in moulds and refrigerate till set. Demould, serve chilled and garnish with nuts.

4. CHOCOLATE CINNAMON KULFI

Ingredients

Milk (full cream) – 2500 ml

Sugar – 50 gm

Green cardamom – 3 no

Pista Irani – 10 gm

Almonds (slivered) – 10 gm

Cinnamon powder – 2.5 gm

Dark chocolate (melted) – 250 gm

Method:

– Put the milk into a wide, heavy pan and bring to boil over high heat, stirring constantly.

– Now lower the heat and cook the milk, stirring constantly, until it has thickened and reduced to about 1/4th (this will take about 40-45 minutes). Stir the sides of the pan constantly to avoid scalding.

– Now add the sugar, nuts and cardamom seeds, stir well, allow it to cool. Add cinnamon. Pour the mixture into kulfi moulds, distributing evenly. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and freeze until set, about 6 hours (Insert wooden skewers at the point of setting).

– De-mould and dip in dark chocolate bath. When set give a wave like pattern or stylize as per your liking. Serve chilled.

Follow more stories on Facebook & Twitter