Try a bit of the exotic with this Persian Ice Cream with Saffron and Rose Water. 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. For a taste of the exotic, the kids really love this Persian Ice Cream with Saffron and Rose Water. And it’s easy to make WITHOUT an ice cream machine.
It’s a short cut we like to do when we are impatient. First you will need good vanilla ice cream and let it soften a bit.
Crush your saffron using a mortar and pestle and dissolve in a bit of warm water.
Stir this into the softened ice cream with rose water and pistachio bits.
Stick it back in the freezer to let it harden and enjoy!
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the amount of saffron you use is dependent on the quality of the saffron used. High grade saffron threads are dark red, not orange and not yellow. Don’t be duped by cheap saffron. The color and aroma produced will not be the same.
And although some people think that turmeric is a fine substitute for saffron, IT IS NOT. Definitely do NOT use turmeric in ice cream because you will end up producing something gross.
Persian Ice Cream with Saffron and Rosewater
This version is very easy to make, without the use of an ice cream machine! Recipe by Laura Bashar of Family Spice
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 qt vanilla ice cream
- 1/4 tsp saffron, crushed
- 1 TBS water, hot
- 1 TBS rose water
- 1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and coarsely chopped
Directions:
- Allow to soften at room temperature for 10 minutes:
- 1 1/2 qt vanilla ice cream
- In the meantime, combine in a small bowl:
- 1/4 tsp saffron , crushed
- 1 TBS water , hot
- When ice cream has softened, place in a large bowl with the saffron mixture.
- Mix in:
- 1 TBS rose water
- 1/2 cup pistachios , shelled and coarsely chopped
- Continue mixing until thoroughly combined.
- Scrape ice cream back into it's original container and freeze until hardened, at least 6 hours.
Notes:
Cooking Tips: As high-quality saffron is expensive, you can help the ice cream's color by using a little yellow food coloring.
Prep Time:
This looks fantastic! If you were making ice cream from scratch I would assume that you’d put the saffron and rose water in the mixture before freezing?
Yes, you would make the ice cream first in the machine, then stir in the rest of the ingredients prior to freezing in the freezer.
That’s a nifty short cut! Very good idea. I don’t use saffron much, in part because it’s expensive, but more so because I’ve really never learned to use it well (which is because I don’t use it!). I need to buy a bunch someday and just play with it. An expensive education, but a tasty one. Anyway, thanks for an interesting post.
What a pretty ice cream, I love the saffron here!
This is beautiful! I can’t wait to try your recipe – simple but elegant.
Love this short cut method ! I like easy cooking 😉 This is delish ! Will be making it. Pinning it for the future 🙂 Thanks for sharing !
I love stirring anything into ice cream. It’s such a beautiful sight and this looks quite exotic.
OK – Sold! Now I know how I’m going to use my saffron! Looks amazing!
We just bought a new jar of saffron. I need to make this – I’ve been trying to do it ever since I learned aobut saffron ice cream!! And the rosewater!
Oh, this is just gorgeous. I will try it with the coconut (vanilla) ice cream and see how it goes! Thanks for the saffron tips too!
We have a Persian restaurant that we love to eat at and they serve the best Persian Ice Cream. It’s expensive to eat there so this will be a nice treat.
Make your own Persian food at home! I hope you enjoy the ice cream. It’s cheating by using pre-made vanilla ice cream, but that’s what make this such an easy recipe!