Indian cooking / Dishes / No-Churn Rose & Cardamom Ice Cream

No-Churn Rose & Cardamom Ice Cream

Vegetarian

A no-churn ice cream set in the freezer, flavoured with rose and cardamom and studded with pistachio. It is creamy, floral and lightly spiced.

Cardamom powder for the cream

1.4 gWhisked into the cream and rose water (step 2)

Green cardamom pod · Elaichi(seeds only)

1.4 g8 pods

spice

Grind to a fine powder.

Rose petals for folding

1.5 gFolded in with the condensed milk and pistachios (step 3)

Dried rose petals · Sukhi Gulab Ki Patti

1.5 g1 tablespoon

herb

Keep whole; they are folded in as they are.

Everything else

Double cream · Malai

278 g280 ml

dairy

Rosewater · Gulab Jal

29 g2 tablespoons

liquid

Condensed milk · Milkmaidcanned

400 g1 can

dairy

Pistachio · Pistaroughly chopped

20 g

nut/seed

Method

Grind 1.4 g green cardamom seeds to a fine powder.
Whisk 278 g double cream, 29.4 g rose water and the cardamom powder until the cream thickens and just holds a soft peak.
Fold 400 g condensed milk, 1.5 g dried rose petals and most of the 20 g pistachio into the cream.
Spoon the mixture into a freezerproof airtight container and level the top.
Sprinkle the rest of the pistachio over the surface.
Freeze for 6–8 hours, or overnight.
Before serving, leave at room temperature for 5–10 minutes, then scoop.

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Green cardamom pod

Green cardamom seed
Use 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.
Ground green cardamom
Use 20 to 25% of the pod weight (about 1 generous pinch per pod); stir in toward the end of cooking so the delicate floral notes do not dissipate.
White cardamom pod
Use 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.

Double cream

Heavy cream
Use the same weight; whips and cooks almost identically.
Single cream
Use the same weight in cooking, but it will not whip; reduce other liquid slightly.
Clotted cream
Use 80% of the weight; richer and thicker, good for serving but not for whipping.

Rosewater

Screwpine water or rosewater
If using kewra water, use 50% of the volume specified; it is intensely floral and pungent, so add drop by drop to avoid overpowering.
Ground green cardamom
Use 0.5 g ground spice for every 5 ml rosewater. Adds warm, perfumed top notes, shifting the aroma from floral to sweet spice.
Dried rose petals
Steep 1 g dried petals in 15 ml hot milk or water for 10 minutes, strain, and stir in for a subtle, natural floral note.

Condensed milk

Milk powder
For 100 g condensed milk, whisk 30 g milk powder with 40 g sugar, 30 g hot milk or water and 5 g butter until smooth. It will be slightly less glossy but works in sweets and curries.
Full cream milk
For 100 g condensed milk, simmer 250 g full cream milk with 75 g sugar until reduced to about 100 g, stirring often. Takes 20–30 minutes and gives a fresher, less caramelised flavour.
Milk solids or milk powder
Use 100 g khoya with 40 g sugar and 2–3 tablespoons milk, heating gently until smooth; it is thicker and richer, so loosen with milk as needed.

Dried rose petals

Rosewater
Use 1 to 2 drops per gram of dried rose petals. Add right at the end of cooking off the heat; highly aromatic, so measure carefully to avoid a soapy finish.
Screwpine water or rosewater
Use a few drops off the heat. Imparts a sweet, floral aroma to biryanis and desserts without botanical flecks.

Pistachio

Pistachio nut
Use the same weight; blanch and peel for a brighter green paste. This is the closest match.
Almond
Use the same weight; blanch and peel. It is firmer and less sweet, so grind a little longer.
Cashew nut
Use the same weight; soak in hot water for 15 minutes for a smooth paste. It is sweeter and softer.

Similar dishes

Doodh ka Sherbet

Milk-based Sherbet

Doodh ka Sherbet tastes lighter and fluid, with saffron and cardamom in milk, whereas this dish tastes creamy, rich and frozen with floral rose.

Same: Doodh ka Sherbet shares cardamom, dried rose petals and pistachio with this dish.
Different: Doodh ka Sherbet is a milk-based chilled drink with saffron, sugar and almonds, while this dish is a frozen no-churn ice cream set with double cream and condensed milk and uses rose water.

Easy Coconut Laddoos

Sweet Truffles with Coconut, Cardamom and Rose Water

Easy Coconut Laddoos tastes creamy and sweet with coconut and a pistachio crunch, while this dish is creamy, floral and lightly spiced.

Same: Easy Coconut Laddoos shares condensed milk, green cardamom, rose water and pistachio with this dish.
Different: Easy Coconut Laddoos uses coconut and milk powder and is shaped into bites, while this dish uses double cream and is frozen as a no-churn ice cream.

Indian Cold Coffee

Indian Cold Coffee tastes sweet, milky, and coffee-forward with a light cardamom note, while this dish is floral, rose-scented, and pistachio-studded.

Same: Indian Cold Coffee shares condensed milk and green cardamom with this dish, and both are served cold and creamy.
Different: Indian Cold Coffee uses instant coffee and full-fat milk but no double cream, rose water, dried rose petals, or pistachio, and it is blended into a chilled drink rather than frozen into a set ice cream.

Homemade Ghee

Homemade Ghee tastes rich and nutty with no sweetness, rose or cardamom, unlike this dish’s creamy, sweet, floral and lightly spiced flavor.

Same: Homemade Ghee shares a dairy-fat base with this dish, since both depend on butterfat or cream for their body.
Different: Homemade Ghee uses only unsalted butter and is simmered on the stove and strained, while this dish uses double cream, condensed milk, rose water, cardamom, dried rose petals and pistachio and is set in the freezer without churning.