The following recipe and excerpt for Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds Ice Cream are from “Malai: Frozen Desserts Inspired by South Asian Flavors” by Pooja Bavishi. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.
This is the most popular Malai ice cream flavor. It’s the only one we never take off the menu. When I created this flavor, which was very early on in the Malai journey, I was unsure about launching it. Rose ice cream was something that was ubiquitous in my childhood, so it makes me nostalgic. But were New Yorkers ready for something this new? I wasn’t sure—until I absolutely was. This flavor’s constant reign at the top never ceases to amaze me. And the best part? It’s pink!
Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds Ice Cream
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of the cream to make a slurry. Whisk the cream cheese, cinnamon, and salt into the slurry until smooth. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine the remaining cream, the milk, sugar, and rose syrup and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, whisking constantly to dissolve the sugar. Continue to boil, whisking constantly, until everything is well incorporated, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry, mixing well.
- Return the mixture to a boil over medium heat and boil, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof container.
- Let the base cool to room temperature, then cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to chill. (If you have the time, letting it sit in the refrigerator overnight is ideal.)
- While the mixture is cooling, prepare the almonds. In a small frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the almonds and stir until toasted and a shade darker, 3–4 minutes. Sprinkle with the sea salt, remove from the heat, and let cool completely.
- Remove the chilled base from the refrigerator and stir to recombine. Transfer the base to your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding the almonds during the last 5 minutes of churning. Serve the soft ice cream right away, or place in the freezer to freeze completely
