Bastani (Persian Rose Water, Saffron and Pistachio Ice Cream)
photo by Izy Hossack
- Ready In:
- 4hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 9
- Yields:
-
6 cups
- Serves:
- 14-16
ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk or 2 cups 2% low-fat milk
- 2 1⁄2 cups heavy cream or 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 6 -8 egg yolks
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1⁄2 cups pistachio nuts, chopped (If using salted ones, make sure to soak and drain first)
- 3 -4 tablespoons rose water or 3/4 teaspoon rose extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 teaspoon saffron, ground and dissolved in a tablespoon of hot milk
- 1 pinch salt
directions
- In a medium thick-bottomed bot, slowly heat the milk to boiling while stirring. Add the vanilla extract and saffron. Continue to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally while doing the next step.
- Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until smooth and foamy. Very carefully and slowly, pour the egg/sugar mixture into the milk. Make sure to stir it rapidly with a fork or use a whisk while pouring (or you will end up with scrambled eggs in the ice cream!).
- Continue heating the mixture on low heat while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened (it should be foamy and coat the spoon).
- Pour the custard mixture into a bowl, and refrigerate until well chilled.
- Once cold, stir in the cream, rose water or extract, and chopped pistachios.
- Churn in an ice cream maker until finished (or, stick in the freezer and vigorously stir every 30 minutes or so to break up the ice crystals, until it is homogenous and frozen).
Reviews
-
Really delicious flavor, try to get actual Iranian saffron, it makes a difference. 4 stars because it really is better with half the sugar, you can add a 1/2 tsp of mastic gum for a gummier texture and the recipe is HUGE (double what you would need in a regular home ice cream maker). Also, the method for blending the hot milk and eggs/sugar goes much better if you whisk a small stream of the hot milk into the eggs/sugar slowly, then add it all together and then whisk all thoroughly. Merci!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
I am a junior at the University of Illinois @ Urbana Champaign, studying Speech and Hearing Science with a concentration in Audiology.
I grew up in a very small rural town in northern Illinois and attended a residential high school (IMSA) in Aurora. I love soccer, fishing, dissecting stuff, drawing and painting, henna, pyrography, knitting (although I am not very good at it!) cooking and prowling for recipes online, Judaism, reading, rock climbing, and the outdoors. I hope to pursue a doctorate in Audiology (AuD) after undergrad.
I have always loved cooking and trying new foods, and moving into my first apartment has been a wonderful opportunity to do so. However, it has also been quite a transition getting used to actually cooking for myself everyday, without making a huge ordeal. I do believe I am getting better at fixing a meal in a more efficient amount of time :)