Saffron Ice Cream Food

SAFFRON ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Over medium heat, bring milk to a low boil with saffron threads in it. Once it boils set it to simmer, cover and let it sit for 30 minutes.
• Allow milk to cool off a bit. You can just transfer it to a bowl or stick in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a mixer combine the saffron infused milk, sugar, and salt. Mix until sugar dissolves.
• Add the heavy cream and vanilla, mix until well blended.
• Cover this and stick in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours.
• Now transfer this liquid to your frozen ice cream maker bowl, set it on the ice cream maker stand, and turn on for 15 to 20 minutes.
• You can eat it right away or pop it in the freezer. Just remember to take it out 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
• Serve with a smile!

SAFFRON ICE CREAM (BASTANI IRANI)

Steps:

• Grind the saffron with 1 tsp of sugar with a mortar and pestle. In a small bowl combine the saffron with the boiling water. Let steep for 10-15 minutes or while you prepare the other ingredients.
• In a medium saucepan, gently heat (on low) the whole milk, 1/4 cup of the cream, cardamom, salt and vanilla, until it steams/heats all the way through.
• While the milk mixture is heating up, whip the egg yolks and sugar in a glass measuring jar until pale and double in size. This should take about 5-6 minutes. You do not need a stand mixer for this just use a whisk and some elbow grease.
• Pour in about 1/4 cup of the milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk. You want to temper the egg yolks so they do not curdle or cook. If the egg mixture is still thick add another 1/4 cup of the milk mixture. Mix and then pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the milk mixture. Add the bloomed saffron, stir to combine.
• Using a wooden spoon or a spatula continue to stir the custard until it thickens. About 10 minutes (on low heat). The custard will coat the spoon or spatula when it has thickened enough. Remove from heat.
• In a large bowl place the remaining 1 cup of whipping cream. Place a sieve on top and strain the custard (to avoid any curdled bits). Stir in the rosewater and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge to cool for 8 hours or overnight.
• Churn the mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the toasted pistachios towards the last five minutes of churning. Transfer to a freezer-safe ice cream container and allow to freeze for at least 2 hours.
• Bring the ice cream out 10-15 minutes prior to serving so it softens up. Serve with more toasted pistachios or in a cone!

SAFFRON ICE CREAM WITH ROSE WATER SYRUP

Steps:

• Bring the milk and heavy cream to a boil.
• Add the saffron, remove from heat and leave to infuse overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next morning, beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until smooth and white.
• Gradually add the saffron infusion, beating well after each addition.
• On the stove top, place mixture in a metal bowl placed over a pot of rapidly boiling water.
• Cook until the mixture coats the spoon.
• Pass the mixture through a fine sieve. Save the saffron filaments and return them to the mixture.
• Allow to cool. Once cold, chill in a metal bowl in the freezer and remove at 1 hour intervals and beat until set. You can also use an ice cream freezer.
• To make syrup:.
• Stir 1 1/2 cups water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat to medium-high.
• Add cinnamon stick and boil mixture until syrup is reduced to a scant 1 cup amount, about 10 minutes.
• Mix in rose water and cool. Serve ice cream in individual bowls and drizzle syrup on top.

SAFFRON AND TOASTED ALMOND ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine milk and half of the sugar in a large saucepan and heat gently.
• Place the almonds on a sheet pan and toast in the oven, shaking the pan occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until almonds are light brown.
• Add the almonds immediately to the milk and sugar mixture. Once the milk mixture comes to a gentle boil, remove from the heat, cover and let steep 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, place the milk mixture on low heat. While this is heating, combine the remaining sugar with the egg yolks and either by hand or with an electric mixer, whisk until the eggs become pale in color, about 3 minutes. Slowly drizzle a little of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture to increase the temperature of the yolk mixture. Next, slowly whisk the yolk mixture into the milk mixture. Cook the mixture over a low heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture has thickened and coats the back of the spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes, remove from heat and strain through a find sieve into a high-sided canister. Add the saffron and amaretto and place in a large bowl of ice water. Stir occasionally and when completely cool, place in an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions. The texture will then be best if you transfer the ice cream to another container and place in freezer for at least 3 hours or overnight.

SAFFRON ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Warm the milk, cream, and sugar in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the saffron. Pour into a small bowl and steep in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
• Strain the saffron-infused mixture into a medium saucepan. Rescue the threads of saffron and put them in a medium bowl. Set the strainer over the top.
• Rewarm the saffron-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm saffron mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
• Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir to incorporate the saffron threads. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
• Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Be sure to scrape off any saffron threads stuck to the dasher and stir them back into the frozen ice cream.
• To make Saffron-Pine Nut Ice Cream, add 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (see page 13) to the ice cream during the last 5 minutes of churning.
• Serve Saffron Ice Cream with Vanilla-Poached Quince. To poach the quince, for 6 to 8 servings you need to start out with 3 quinces (2 pounds, 1 kg). Peel and quarter the quinces, then remove the seeds and cores with a melon baller. In a nonreactive saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar, 4 cups (1 liter) water, and 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise. While the syrup is heating, cut the quinces into 1-inch (3-cm) slices.
• Add the quince slices to the syrup, cover with a round of parchment paper, and cook at a gentle simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the quince slices are rosy and tender. Let cool to room temperature, then serve the quince slices with a scoop of Saffron Ice Cream and some of the delicious poaching liquid, which can be reduced to a thick syrup before serving.

SAFFRON CARDAMOM ICE CREAM WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Combine the milk, cream, saffron and bring to a boil in a heavy saucepan .
• Remove pan from heat and let cream mixture stand, covered, for 1 hour.
• Return pan to the heat and bring mixture to just simering.
• In another bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar and pinch of salt together.
• Add 1/2 cup of the cream mixture to the eggs & blend to temper them.
• After mixing, add the rest of the cream to the egg mix in a steady stream, whisking to blend well.
• Pour the entire mixture back into the pan.
• Cook this custard over moderate low heat, stirring until a thermometer reaches 170°F.
• Strain through a fine sieve into another bowl and stir in cardamom.
• Let custard cool completely and freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's recommendations.
• Add pistachios during last few minutes of freezing/churning time.

COCONUT SAFFRON ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium-sized saucepan, bring all the ingredients to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer gently for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and chill the mixture thoroughly.
• Once chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Once churned, be sure to scrape any saffron threads clinging to the dasher back in to the ice cream.

BASTANI (PERSIAN ROSE WATER, SAFFRON AND PISTACHIO ICE CREAM)

Steps:

• In a medium thick-bottomed bot, slowly heat the milk to boiling while stirring. Add the vanilla extract and saffron. Continue to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally while doing the next step.
• Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until smooth and foamy. Very carefully and slowly, pour the egg/sugar mixture into the milk. Make sure to stir it rapidly with a fork or use a whisk while pouring (or you will end up with scrambled eggs in the ice cream!).
• Continue heating the mixture on low heat while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened (it should be foamy and coat the spoon).
• Pour the custard mixture into a bowl, and refrigerate until well chilled.
• Once cold, stir in the cream, rose water or extract, and chopped pistachios.
• Churn in an ice cream maker until finished (or, stick in the freezer and vigorously stir every 30 minutes or so to break up the ice crystals, until it is homogenous and frozen).