Reduced Milk, sweetened & infused with Black Truffle slices and Saffron – this Black Truffle and Saffron Kulfi is a dessert unlike any other!

Have you had Kulfi before? If you have, then you’ll know that there are very few frozen desserts in this world that are as decadent as the Indian Kulfi. This quintessential Indian ice-cream has its origins in the Persian empire, which then found it’s way to the Indian subcontinent through the Mughals.

The Kulfi texture is quite unique – it’s like an intense clotted cream, but frozen. The density also makes it melt more slowly than other water/juice based popsicles/frozen treats. Perfect for the hot summers in India!!!

Making Kulfi

The non-traditional ‘instant’ recipes use condensed milk and/or evaporated milk to atone for the time,  and while they do taste good, they lack the authentic flavor and texture of the real deal.

Personally, I think time is the main ingredient in an authentic Kulfi. You cannot replicate the key caramelized flavor without actually putting in the time. The slow, but long cooking of the milk turns it almost nutty and smoky-sweet! Considering how dairy-rich this is, I would say, make this rarely, but when you do, do it right.

Start with whole milk. Don’t even think of using anything but whole milk. You want the fat, you want the milk solids and you want them both together! Boil the milk slowly, stirring continuously, scraping the congealed milk from the sides as it reduces to 1/3rd it’s original quantity. This process could take as long as 2-3 hours, so pull up a chair next to the stove, aim the TV towards you (or grab an interesting book – a.k.a my awesome Kindle!) and tune in to your favorite program. I think Kulfi’s are best made on a lazy Saturday afternoon, when you really have nothing else to do!

Once it’s reduced, thickened and the entire house smells sweet (you’ll soon have neighbors come knocking!), you add the sugar and flavors – in this case, the black truffle slices and saffron. Yeah, right! b’cause twice reduced milk isn’t rich enough…. but honestly, the dairy decadence of this kulfi demanded the heady fragrance of truffles!

I use this preserved bottle of Black truffle slices that I bought from Amazon. If you don’t like the Truffle flavour, infuse the kulfi with more traditional flavours: cardamom, saffron and pistachios.

Traditional kulfi is made in these specialty kulfi molds, but feel free to use any popsicle mold you already have, like I did. In fact, if you don’t have popsicle molds, just pour it into small metal containers,  cover with cling film and freeze. You can slice and serve with a spoon, instead of eating it off a stick.

When you have the time, and people to impress, try this Black Truffle and Saffron Kulfi : there’s nothing more decadent, more refreshingly delicious on a hot summer’s day – and I reckon we’re going to be having a lot of those very soon!

Every Monday this month, I’ve been posting a recipe that uses Black Truffles. This Black Truffle and Saffron Kulfi is the last in the series. Here are some of my previous creations. 

From left to right: Black Truffle Dal, Vegan Chocolate Truffles with Truffle Oil, Black Truffle Paneer.

When you make these (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here and will share it with pride on my social media feeds.

*** This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products I personally use and love.  ***