Bastani (Persian Saffron & Rosewater Ice Cream)
There are countless approaches to Iran’s famous dessert, the dreamy saffron and rosewater ice cream known as bastani. Some versions have clotted cream or chopped pistachios folded in; others include sahlab —a starch made from orchid tubers. Some leave out egg yolks; others use half a dozen for a quart.
We like our bastani rich, but not heart-stoppingly so: three yolks for us. We also like it smooth and velvety and so put the chopped pistachios on top, as a final flourish, along with dried rose petals. You could do without the petals and nuts and it will still be wonderful, or you can stir in chopped pistachios before you freeze the custard.
Makes about 1 quart / 1 liter.
Ingredients
1 2/3 cups / 400 ml heavy cream
1 1/3 cups / 315 ml whole milk
ure2/3 cups / 156 grams sugar
2 big pinches saffron threads
3 tablespoons / 42 ml rosewater
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chopped toasted pistachios for garnish (optional)
Dried rose petals for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Place the heavy cream, milk, and sugar in a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom. Using your fingers, crush the saffron threads into the cream mixture; ideally you’ll want the equivalent of about 1/2 teaspoon ground saffron. Stir the mixture over medium heat to combine; continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is steaming but not simmering. Lower the heat so the mixture just continues steaming.
2. Set a fine-mesh strainer over medium heat-proof bowl.
3. In another medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolk until they’re uniform. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Then transfer the egg-cream mixture back to the saucepan and stir over over medium heat with a heat-proof spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir. Continue until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Remove the custard from the heat and strain into the clean bowl. Stir in the rosewater and vanilla extract.
4. Chill the custard in the refrigerator until it’s completely chilled, then freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. Scoop into bowls and top with the toasted pisachios and rose petals if desired.
Bastani (Persian Saffron and Rosewater Ice Cream)
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups / 400 ml heavy cream
- 1 1/3 cups / 315 ml whole milk
- ure2/3 cups / 156 grams sugar
- 2 big pinches saffron threads
- 3 tablespoons / 42 ml rosewater
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chopped toasted pistachios for garnish (optional)
- Dried rose petals for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place the heavy cream, milk, and sugar in a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom. Using your fingers, crush the saffron threads into the cream mixture; ideally you’ll want the equivalent of about 1/2 teaspoon ground saffron. Stir the mixture over medium heat to combine; continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is steaming but not simmering. Lower the heat so the mixture just continues steaming.
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over medium heat-proof bowl.
- In another medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolk until they’re uniform. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Then transfer the egg-cream mixture back to the saucepan and stir over over medium heat with a heat-proof spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir. Continue until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Remove the custard from the heat and strain into the clean bowl. Stir in the rosewater and vanilla extract.
- Chill the custard in the refrigerator until it’s completely chilled, then freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. Scoop into bowls and top with the toasted pisachios and rose petals if desired.
