Traditional Malai Kulfi
Traditional malai kulfi is a North Indian frozen milk dessert with slow-reduced malai, cardamom, saffron and chopped nuts.
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8 hr 50 mintotal
50 min hands-on8 hr hands-off
Prep 5 min · Cook 45 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- None
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop.
Allow 8 hours for the reduced milk base to freeze solid; overnight gives kulfi the densest, cleanest set.
Method
Pour the full-fat milk into a heavy-bottomed wide pan or kadhai and bring it to a boil on medium heat.
Once it boils, reduce the heat to low. Let the milk simmer and reduce to about one-third of its original volume.
Keep stirring frequently, scraping the dried milk (malai) from the sides and bottom, and mixing it back into the milk.
Once the milk is thick and creamy, add sugar, crushed cardamom, saffron, and chopped nuts. Mix well.
Simmer for another 3-4 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely to room temperature.
3–4 min
Pour the cooled mixture into kulfi molds (or small paper cups/steel glasses). Cover the tops tightly with aluminum foil.
Place them in the freezer for at least 8 hours or overnight to set completely.
8 hr
To serve, rub the molds between your warm palms for a few seconds or dip them briefly in warm water to demold the kulfi easily.
How to tell it's done
Kulfi should be dense and creamy, with fine malai grains and no hard ice crystals.
Nutrition
Per serving, from 2 servings.
251kcal
Where the calories come from
- Protein9.8 g15%
- Carbohydrate26.9 g42%
- Fat12.3 g43%
- Saturated fat
- 5.1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 110 mg
- Potassium
- 410 mg
- Calcium
- 304 mg
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.
Getting it right
Tip
Add sugar only after the milk has reduced. Early sugar slows reduction, and frequent scraping gives kulfi its slightly grainy malai texture.
What to serve it with
Serve with falooda sev, crushed pistachios, rose syrup or sliced mango.
Common mistakes
- The kulfi sets icy instead of creamy.
- Reduce the milk enough, cool the base before freezing and cover the molds tightly. Extra water or loose covering creates hard crystals.
Storing and reheating
Keep kulfi frozen in covered molds or an airtight container for up to 1 month. Demold only what you need and do not refreeze melted kulfi.
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