Vanilla Rose Ice Cream Food

ROSE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the milk and sugar in a large bowl using a hand mixer until the sugar is dissolved (about 2 minutes).
• Add the remaining ingredients and continue mixing until combined. The concentration of rose water can vary, so it's a good idea to build up to the 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) a tablespoon at a time so you can give it a taste and add more without adding too much.
• Pour the mixture into the bowl of your ice cream maker and run the machine for about 30 minutes or until it reaches the consistency you like.
• Serve immediately or transfer to a container and freeze until it's more firm.

VANILLA-MAPLE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the heavy cream, milk, maple syrup and vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Ladle about half of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking. Then pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, whisking.
• Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof bowl or large liquid measuring cup. Return the vanilla pod to the custard. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until the custard stops steaming. Refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker (remove the vanilla pod) and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a container, cover and freeze at least 4 hours.

ROSE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Add the saffron to the warm milk and set aside for 15 minutes.
• Combine the softened ice cream, saffron with milk, rose syrup, cardamom, and pistachios in a large bowl. Stir until the ice cream is smooth and pink in color. Scoop the ice cream back into the container and freeze 2 hours, or until ready to eat.

ROSE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Bring the milk to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan. Slowly beat the hot milk into the eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and place over low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly. Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble. Remove from the heat and pour the hot custard through a strainer into a large clean bowl to cool slightly, then stir in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon rose water. Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight. Stir the chilled custard, then freeze in 1 or 2 batches in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add 2 tablespoons crushed candied rose petals to the machine when the ice cream is semi-frozen. Allow the machine to mix in the flowers. When finished, the ice cream will be soft but ready to eat. For firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours.

ULTIMATE VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Put the canister from the machine into the freezer a day before you want to make the ice cream. Next day, pour the cream and milk into a medium heavy-based pan, then tip in half the sugar. Slit the vanilla pod down its length with a small sharp knife and scoop out as many of the tiny black seeds as you can into the cream mixture. Cut the pod into three and drop it into the pan.
• Heat the cream and milk over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until it almost boils - you'll see a few bubbles at the edge. Take off the heat and set aside for 30 minutes so the vanilla can infuse.
• Put the egg yolks into a bowl with the rest of the sugar and beat with an electric hand beater for about 2 minutes until the mixture has thickened, is paler in colour and falls in thick ribbons when you lift the beaters. Using a measuring jug, scoop out about 125ml/4fl oz of the cream mixture and beat into the egg yolks to slacken them. Reheat the cream until it just comes to the boil, take off the heat and stir in the egg yolk mixture.
• Return the pan to a low heat and cook, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, for 8-10 minutes, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Watch that it doesn't boil - as soon as you see any bubbles about to burst to the surface, it should be thick enough, so take the pan off the heat so the mixture doesn't curdle.
• Pour the custard into a heatproof bowl, then sit it in a bigger bowl one third full of iced water to cool (this takes about 20 minutes). Stir occasionally to stop a skin forming. Put the bowl of custard in the fridge for 3-4 hours, preferably overnight, so it gets really cold.
• Get the ice cream machine running, scoop out the vanilla pod pieces, then slowly pour in the cold custard. Leave it to churn for 10-30 minutes (depending on your machine). When it stops, it is probably too soft to eat, so spoon into a plastic container, cover with cling film, then a lid, and freeze for a minimum of 3 hours. (It will keep in the freezer for 3 months but don't take it out, then refreeze.) Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving.
• To make it by hand: in step 1, heat the milk, vanilla, and half the sugar without the cream (the custard will be slightly thicker). At the start of step 6, whip the cream so it's light and floppy, not too stiff, and fold it into the cold custard. Freeze for 3-4 hours, stirring once an hour until almost frozen, then freeze as above.

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).