Kulfi is a popular chilled dessert across the Indian subcontinent, and with summers already here, the craving for this dessert keeps growing. Since time immemorial you know of kulfi as this decadent frozen dessert which can be found at every Indian restaurant and occasions such as weddings. Made with reduced full fat milk, flavoured with either cardamom or saffron, kulfi is a must-have in summers but ask any kulfi lover and he’ll tell you how it is an all-season dessert! It is similar to ice cream in appearance but is denser and creamier than that. It is traditionally served on a stick but can also be eaten from a plate or out of a cup.
And did you know that even the name kulfi has an interesting legend around it? As per legend, a mixture of dense evaporated milk was already prevalent in the 16th century, but it was the Mughals who came up with a way to flavour this milk with pistachios and saffron, packed it into metal cones and froze it in ice, and that is how kulfi was born. Even the word kulfi comes from the Persian word qulfi meaning “covered cup”. Interesting, isn’t it? So now you know that Mughals didn’t just invent the rich and royal curries and kebabs but even delicious sweet treats such as kulfi!
Traditionally, this delightful dessert is prepared by cooking sweetened or flavoured milk slowly, while stirring constantly, so the milk does not stick to the bottom. It is cooked until it thickens and reduces by half and it also helps give kulfi a distinct flavour by caramelising the sugar. The thickened milk is then poured into molds and frozen in ice but nowadays people simply put it in the freezer, but in earlier times it was frozen in a vessel filled with salt and ice. Now, sometimes DIY-ing does not work well. If you’re in a hurry and you want to save time, you need to come up with better ideas which also give excellent results. The art of making kulfi, although challenging, can surely be aced with a few tips and tricks that you can try and remember practice makes perfect! Follow these 6 tips to make kulfi during the summers in your home kitchen and impress all your friends and family:
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Type Of Milk Matters
Milk is a critical part of making kulfi and giving it the right kind of consistency and taste as well, when you’re preparing to make kulfi at home. Not using full-fat milk is going to make a huge difference in both the taste and the texture. Also, kulfi is not made from different types of ingredients, but mainly milk and sugar, it is very important to use the right kind of milk. Cow or buffalo milk with high-fat content is pertinent for making kulfi. One must ensure that the milk being used is not too old and, if possible, then completely fresh.
Be Mindful Of The Sugar Ratio
If there is one ingredient that a person has to be mindful of while adding it to the kulfi mixture, then it has to be sugar. The best part about kulfi is that it's never extremely sweet and properly balanced. Adding too much sugar is not just going to affect the taste of the kulfi, but can also manipulate its texture for the worse. Most people like to add some of the other fruits in their kulfis that are naturally sweet as well. In this case, one should always watch out for the quantity of sugar that they have added to their kulfi mixture.
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The Right Temperature
Cooking milk at a medium to low flame is the first step towards making a homemade kulfi. One has to properly exercise temperature control while executing this step because the goal should be to simmer the milk until it reaches the boiling point. However, if a person is simmering the milk for a very long time, it is going to get overcooked, which is not right for making a kulfi. A kulfi made from overcooked milk is going to have a grainy texture, which is not the end goal. Conventionally, a kulfi has a very smooth and luscious texture, which is only obtained if the milk is properly heated.
Be Generous With Flavours
Flavourings like saffron, cardamom, dry fruit, or any other fruits like mango and strawberries make a kulfi taste even more appetising. While adding flavourings, a person must always be generous and not try to control how much they're putting in. Hesitation or trying to save flavourings for the next batch is going to impact the flavours of the kulfi. If one is looking forward to enjoying some kulfi, then they must always add dry fruits, flavouring, ingredients and fruits in abundance.
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Use The Accurate Mould Size
Many people do not pay a lot of attention towards this step, but it is certainly very important to give kulfi the right shape and texture. Choosing the correct mould is going to ensure that all the kulfi mixture, along with dry fruits, fruit chunks, and kulfi mix, are all added to the mixture properly. The moulds need to have that kind of space so that they can accommodate everything properly without any spillage. They should also have proper coverage to avoid any mess in the refrigerator.
The Art Of Freezing
Making Kulfi at home is a time-consuming process, and one must be very patient during this process. The kulfi needs to be frozen in the freezer for at least 5 to 6 hours before being served. This time is enough to let the kulfi become firm and yet not too hard that it loses its creaminess and develops ice flakes on the surface. If one wants their kulfi to be extra soft and not too firm, then they can choose to freeze the kulfi for 3 to 4 hours or even a lesser time.