Persian Ice Cream with Saffron and Rosewater (Bastani)

Try a bit of the exotic with this Persian Ice Cream with Saffron and Rosewater (bastani). It’s easy to make at home and WITHOUT an ice cream machine.

Summer vacation in San Diego should run July through September; those are our hot months. It seems like the heat really kicks in when the kids return to school. Not that I’m whining or complaining.

The ice cream maker is in full swing and the popsicles are in constant supply. But my family loves ice cream 365 days out of the year. And they certainly don’t need the weather to be hot to enjoy it!

My kids love all flavors of ice cream, but this Persian Ice Cream with Saffron and Rosewater (bastani) holds a special place in our heart. Normally we only enjoyed it at Persian markets or in Los Angeles at specialty Persian ice cream stores.

This recipe let us enjoy it at home. And it’s easy to make WITHOUT an ice cream machine.

Why this recipe is so awesome

If you have never tried bastani then this is a special treat for you. Most ice cream flavors are sweet and flavorful. But Persian ice cream takes it one step further by being aromatic.

Saffron is gives this frozen treat its golden yellow color. Saffron is also incredible aromatic. We also mix in rosewater – again more fabulous aromas.

Pistachios and rose petals are mixed into the ice cream, finishing off this exotic dessert. Don’t think this is too fancy for your family. My kids go crazy and love Persian bastani.

And best of all? This recipe cheats a little, by using already made vanilla ice cream as its base. So no ice cream machine is needed. No churning. Super duper easy!

Kids aren’t the only ones that go ga-ga over ice cream. I served this to American friends of mine and they swooned over this golden treat. So give it a try the next time you are looking for something special to serve your guests.

Ingredients needed

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• Vanilla ice cream: For this cheater’s method, I used store bought vanilla ice cream. Remember to choose one that is creamy. You can also make your own ice cream base. I suggest this recipe for French vanilla ice cream. Some of our favorite store bought ice cream brands include Tilamook, Blue Bunny and Blue Belll.
• Saffron: You want to use a high quality saffron, which gives the bastani its golden color and intoxicating aroma. Look for long crimson strands, not orange or yellow. Check out my post for more information about how to choose saffron.
• Rosewater: You can make your own rose water or use store bought. You can find it online or in middle eastern markets.
• Pistachios: You want to use shelled and unsalted pistachios.
• Rose petals: You can purchase culinary grade dried rose petals in middle eastern stores or online. Or you can dry your rose petals, just be sure they are pesticide free.

Step-by-step directions

1. Crush your saffron using a mortar and pestle and dissolve in a bit of warm water. Let your saffron bloom and steep like this for about 30 minutes. The amount of saffron you need depends on the quality of saffron you use.

Good quality saffron will give you a bright yellow ice cream using just ¼ teaspoon of ground saffron. If the color is not as deep as you want, use more steeped saffron.

2. The key to this short cut version is to start with high quality vanilla ice cream as your base. Take it out of the freezer and let it soften a bit. This should take about 30 minutes sitting on the counter.

While you wait for it to soften and for your saffron to finish steeping in water, you can chop your pistachios.

3. Transfer the softened ice cream to a large bowl. Once your saffron water is reddish orange, add it to your softened ice cream and mix it in until color is evenly distributed.

4. Stir in the rose water and pistachio bits. You can also add a teaspoon or two of crushed dried rose petals, if you want. This adds a bit of color as well as fragrance.

5. Transfer your softened saffron ice cream into a freezer safe container, and place it back in the freezer to let it harden again. This usually takes about 6 hours. I know it is impossible to be patient, but do your best.

I transferred the ice cream to these mini containers for individual portions. It also makes it easy to take these and share on a picnic, like sizdeh bidar. Just pack a cooler with a little dry ice and your ice cream will remain hard until you are ready to serve it.

I also topped each ice cream cup with more chopped pistachios and rose petals.

Recipe tips and FAQs

And if you are ever in Los Angeles, you must visit Mashti Malone’s. It’s an iconic ice cream parlor that makes the best Persian ice cream with saffron (bastani). It is typically served as an ice cream sandwich, pressed against two wafers like these, and it is positively incredible. Until then, you’ll just have made do with my very tasty (and easy) no churn recipe.

Store your bastani in the coldest part of your freezer. It should last about two to four months. If you are using a homemade vanilla ice cream base that does not have preservatives, it will keep in the freezer for about one month.

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This post was originally published August 9, 2012. It has recently been updated with more information and new photographs.