The only thing better than a good recipe? When something’s so easy to make that you don’t even need one. Welcome to It’s That Simple, a column where we talk you through the process of making the dishes and drinks we can make with our eyes closed.
When it comes to entertaining, my mom is my idol. She is truly the hostess with the mostest: No dinner party, casual hang, or unexpected drop-in by a neighbor for evening chai is ever passed up as a chance to pull out all the stops.
Her fridge and pantry are always stocked with mithai, biscuits, spiced nuts, and snack mixes to serve on pretty plates. Or, with a little notice, my mom would have warm gulab jamun or baklava ready to go.
Dessert, of course, is never neglected. One of her go-tos is a speedy kulfi recipe that she’s never deviated from. It was first shared by an auntie, who used American supermarket basics—frozen Cool Whip, canned condensed milk—as stand-ins since the ingredients and methods needed for traditional kulfi weren't as readily available in the Texan suburb my parents landed in.
While people commonly refer to kulfi as “Indian ice cream,” that’s a misconception: There are a few textural differences that set it apart. Unlike ice cream, kulfi is typically no-churn, and is made from malai, a rich clotted cream that’s intensely concentrated and turns the texture closer to frozen custard: dense and slower to melt. A South Asian favorite, kulfi is often sold in a small earthen pot called a matka, or on a stick like a Popsicle. Instead of fluffy and smooth, kulfi can be forgivably icy and thick, studded with nuts or bits of fruit.
Over the years, it’s become a beloved tradition in our home, ready to whip out for guests on a moment’s notice, sometimes scooped over warm homemade gajar halwa or in falooda with all the fixings. No matter how it will be served, I love that there’s always kulfi in my mom’s freezer for me—and now I can make it at home, too, to eat right out of the Tupperware
Here’s how to make My Mom’s Kulfi:
Toast 1 slice white bread, let cool, then crumble by hand. In a large, freezer-safe container, use a whisk to mix one 14-oz. can condensed milk, one 12-oz. can evaporated milk, 1 pint heavy whipping cream, one 16-oz. container Cool Whip, 1 tsp. crushed cardamom, a sprinkle of chopped pistachios, and the breadcrumbs. Freeze for 2–3 hours. Take it out and give it a quick mix, making sure to reincorporate the heavier ingredients that have settled to the bottom. Freeze for another 1–2 hours, and mix again to break up large ice crystals. Stick it back in the freezer for another hour until it firms up completely, and it’s ready to serve. (You can also make the kulfi up to a week ahead of time.) Scoop into bowls and sprinkle with more chopped pistachios.