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Sweltering summer days in India only mean one thing and that’s lots of delicious and enticing kulfis! With flavours of cardamom, saffron and a lot of dry foods, kulfis are a creamier, and more flavourful alternative to ice creams and if you’re making them at home, you need to bookmark these useful pointers Kulfi is a type of frozen dessert that is popular in India and a lot of neighbouring countries and is different in texture and taste from conventional ice cream. It is believed that the kulfi as we know it today originated during the Mughal era in Delhi during the 16th century. This frozen Indian dessert is quite popular in Trinidad and Tobago as well. What makes kulfi different from other ice creams is the fact that it's made from full-fat milk, sugar, and traditional Indian flavouring ingredients like saffron and cardamom.
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It's also topped with a lot of dry fruits to infuse an additional layer of texture. The kulfi available in the market these days usually include preservatives, sweeteners and artificial flavouring. So, if you want to make kulfi at home, simply follow these tips and tricks!
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* Use The Right Type Of Milk
Milk is a critical part of making kulfi and giving it the right kind of consistency. 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 and just 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.
* Using A Lot Of Sugar
If there is one ingredient that a person has to be mindful about 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 or 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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* Cooking The Milk At 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. 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.
* Use Generous Flavourings
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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* Using The Correct Mould Size
Many people do not pay a lot of attention towards this step but it is certainly very important to give kullfi 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 in 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.
* Proper Freezing Time
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.
