Rhubarb, rosewater and cardamom kulfi
You don’t need an ice-cream maker to make this fabulous kulfi, a fragrant frozen dessert. Rosewater varies in strength, so taste when the mixture is well chilled (the flavour will be less intense) and add more if necessary.
For this recipe you will need 4 large or 6 smaller kulfi moulds and a blender.
Ingredients
For the kulfi
- 400g/14oz slender young rhubarb, cut into chunks
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 300ml/10fl oz evaporated milk
- 8 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1–2 tbsp rosewater
- 100ml/3½fl oz kefir
- 250ml/9fl oz double or whipping cream
- salt
To serve (optional)
- dried rose petals
- chopped pistachios
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put the rhubarb in a roasting tin, sprinkle over 2 tablespoons of the sugar and stir until completely coated. Cover with kitchen foil and roast for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and roast for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Put the remaining sugar in a saucepan with the evaporated milk, cardamom pods, 1 tablespoon of rosewater and a pinch of salt. Heat gently, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved, then bring just up to boiling point. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes, then stir in the kefir. Leave to cool to room temperature.
Strain the milk mixture and put in a blender with the roasted rhubarb. Blitz until smooth, then push through a sieve to make it extra smooth if you like. Chill thoroughly.
Whip the cream to soft peaks then fold through the chilled rhubarb mixture. Taste and add more rosewater if necessary.
Pour into moulds and freeze. If your moulds are big enough, whisk with a fork every 30 minutes, until the mixture is too stiff to stir, then freeze until solid. (If you have an ice-cream maker you can churn them first, then pour into the moulds and freeze until solid.)
To serve, remove from the freezer and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Turn out and sprinkle with a few dried rose petals and/or chopped pistachios if you like.
Recipe Tips
If slender young or ‘forced’ rhubarb isn’t available, you may need to add more sugar: taste the chilled mixture and, if needed, stir in up to 25g/1oz icing sugar.
Make them into ice lollies by adding a stick half way through the freezing process.
