Kulfi - Pallika

Kulfi

Boil about half a gallon of water on medium heat and stir to avoid scorching. Reduce to almost one third the volume. Dissolve about one tbsp of cornstarch in some cold milk and add to the boiling milk. let the milk thicken slightly more. In the mean time, soak a few strands of saffron in milk for about half an hour, and create a paste using a pestle. Add this to the milk. Add one can of evaporated milk, one can of condensed milk, about a cup of sugar, stir and let cool. Add about 8-10 fl. oz. (3/4 carton of the 16 ounce pack) heavy cream. Add fresh cardamom powder and coarsely crushed cashew nuts, almonds and pistachios. (The flavors can be adapted..think plain malai, Mango, Rose, fruits, etc). Now, fill small plastic disposable cups upto about 3/4th full. Cover with a small piece of aluminum foil, and insert an ice cream stick (The foil helps keep the stick in place before freezing). Freeze for 6-7 hours or overnight. Rub the kulfi with palms before serving to release. May use kulfi molds, if available. Enjoy!!

Tip: I didn't try this, but I saw this tip twice in my research: grind a slice or two of white bread and add to the boiling milk to avoid crystals. Cornstarch worked fine for me, though.