Saffron Ice Cream Food

PERSIAN ICE CREAM (BASTANI)

Steps:

• Dissolve corn starch in ½ cup milk and stir well until smooth.
• Take the remaining milk and sugar in a large saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium high heat.
• Lower the heat and whisk in the corn starch-milk mixture, stirring constantly. Simmer until it reaches a thin custard consistency or coats the back of a spoon. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool on an ice bath.
• Using a small mortar and pestle, grind the saffron with a pinch of salt until it is a fine powder. Dissolve it in the rose water and let it soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in saffron-rose water, heavy cream and vanilla until well combined.
• Chill the mixture in refrigerator for several hours/overnight or over an ice bath (by setting the saucepan in a larger bowl partially filled with ice and water).
• Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the pistachios in the end just when the ice cream is starting to set. Check note below about cream chunks.

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.

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD TARTLETS IN ALMOND COOKIE CRUST WITH SAFFRON ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine cream and saffron in custard cup. Place in microwave oven and heat on high until cream is hot, about 30 seconds. Remove cup from microwave and let mixture steep at room temperature 1 hour. Place ice cream in medium bowl; add saffron mixture and stir with rubber spatula until well blended. Spoon ice cream into container; cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
• Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend. Add yolks; whisk until blended (mixture will be thick). Gradually whisk warm chocolate mixture into yolk mixture until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and starts to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat (mixture may look grainy; whisk vigorously until smooth). Whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer pastry cream to bowl. Let cool at room temperature until lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Combine flour, almonds, sugar, and baking powder in processor; blend until almonds are very finely ground. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until small crumbs form. Whisk cream and yolk in small bowl to blend; add to processor and blend just until moist clumps form. Gather dough together; divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Form each piece into ball. Press 1 dough ball evenly onto bottom and up sides of each of six 4 1/2-inch-diameter tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Trim any excess dough. Pierce crusts all over with fork. Cover and chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crusts until golden and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Cool completely in pans on rack. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)
• Divide pastry cream among crusts (about scant 1/3 cup for each); spread evenly. Remove tartlet pan sides. Place 1 tartlet on each of 6 plates. Top with scoop of saffron ice cream. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.