Royal Rajbhog Ice Cream Without Heavy Cream

Ingredients

• 1 L Whole milk (Divided if needed)
• 150 g Granulated sugar
• 100 g Milk powder (Helps create a creamy texture without heavy cream)
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch (Whisk with a little cold milk before adding to prevent lumps)
• Saffron threads (A generous pinch, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk)
• 4 Green cardamom (Seeds finely ground)
• 60 g Mixed nuts (Finely chopped; almonds and pistachios are suitable)
• 1 tsp Kewra water (Optional, for traditional rajbhog aroma)

Steps

1. 1

   Soak the saffron threads in 1 tablespoon of warm milk for several minutes so they release their color and aroma. Finely grind the cardamom seeds and chop the nuts.

2. 2

   Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally so it does not scorch.

3. 3

   Reserve a small amount of cold milk in a bowl. Whisk the cornstarch and milk powder into the reserved milk until completely smooth and lump-free.

4. 4

   Add the milk-powder mixture to the hot milk in a slow stream while whisking continuously. Add the sugar and continue stirring.

5. 5

   Cook the mixture over medium-low heat for approximately 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it stick to the bottom of the pan.

6. 6

   Add the saffron milk, ground cardamom, and chopped nuts. Stir thoroughly and cook for another minute so the flavors are evenly distributed.

7. 7

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the kewra water, if using. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature.

8. 8

   Transfer the cooled mixture to a completely dry, airtight, freezer-safe container. Smooth the surface and seal the container tightly.

9. 9

   Freeze until firm, preferably overnight. Let the container stand at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping, then garnish with additional nuts or saffron if desired.

Notes

The transcript clearly indicates cooking the mixture for about 5–7 minutes until smooth and storing it in a completely dry, airtight container before freezing overnight. Ingredient quantities were not recoverable from the supplied description or transcript and have therefore been estimated from a standard no-heavy-cream rajbhog ice cream formula.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• ice cream
• frozen dessert
• South Asian
• Indian-inspired
• eggless
• without heavy cream
• make-ahead