Thandai Gulkand Ice Cream

The celebrations of Holi without its signature Thandai feels incomplete. Holi and Thandai are like a match made in heaven, and I love experimenting with the Thandai mix.

A couple of years back, I created a fusion dessert with Thandai mix ~ Thandai Mousse Gulab jamun cups, and it was a huge hit.

Many of you shared your yummy creations across social media, and that’s what motivated me to formulate yet another thandai infused recipe – Thandai Gulkand ice cream. 

What is Thandai Gulkand Ice cream?

Thandai powder is a blend of Indian spices and nuts such as green cardamom, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, peppercorns, melon seeds, saffron, almonds, cashews, pistachios, and nutmeg. It’s a very fragrant and versatile spice-blend used in a traditional North Indian Holi drink – Thandai; which also happens to be a summer coolant. 

On the other hand, Gulkand refers to rose petal jam. 

When rendered in English, this term, Thandai Gulkand Ice cream plainly means – a frozen treat subtly spiced with Thandai mix and infused with rose petal jam!

Just like other delicious flavors on the blog, such as Indian butterscotch ice-cream, shortcake strawberry ice cream, or this pistachio ice cream, Thandai gulkand ice cream too, promises a rich, silky smooth, and melt-in-your-mouth texture —with the bonus that it comes together in easy steps and doesn’t require an ice cream maker!

You’ll love Thandai Gulkand ice cream

If you are wondering, why make homemade when you can grab a container from the store. The answer to that question is simple – flip the container. From that long of ingredient, I bet half of the names we can hardly pronounce. Now coming on to this recipe, it’s: 

• Made with 10 simple ingredients
• Ridiculously easy, even a novice cook can make it
• No artificial flavors or preservatives
• No Ice cream maker necessary
• Luscious texture
• Adaptable, and 
• More than that, homemade is so much fun and deliciously rewarding.  

Ingredient list for Thandai Gulkand Ice cream

Here is a list of ingredients that you will need to make this no-churn Thandai Gulkand ice cream. This part explains the role of each element in this recipe. Please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for a complete list of ingredients with detailed measurements.

» Heavy whipping cream — this is our key ingredient. For a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth taste and texture, always use heavy whipping cream with a fat content of 35% or higher. Because fat doesn’t freeze into solid, so to enjoy non-icy scoopable ice cream, use heavy whipping cream. The higher the fat content, the creamier and richer the ice cream. 

» Cream of tartar — helps to thicken and stabilize the whipped cream.

» Salt — Just a pinch to bring out the flavors.

» Half and Half — I chose half-and-half because of the fat content (10-18%), and its addition will lend a creamier texture. Half and half is a combination of equal parts of half whole milk and half heavy whipping cream. It has a thicker and creamier texture than milk but is less thick than cream.

» Milk powder — another key ingredient. Milk powder acts as a thickener, and it improves the overall texture of the dessert making for an extra creamy, thicker, and richer ice cream. 

» Thandai Powder + Gulkand —  These two are flavoring agents. I have used half of the thandai powder to flavor the simmering half-and-half and then added the remaining thandai powder into the ice cream at the very end. 

» Cardamom Essence — It gives the overall flavor a delicious boost. 

» Condensed milk — Sweetened condensed milk gives this dessert all the sweetness it needs. Furthermore, when incorporated into the ice cream, condensed milk adds an extra level of velvety smoothness.

» Saffron — When mixed with milk, Saffron strands lend a very subtle flavor and a beautiful yet pale color to our ice cream. 

How to make Thandai Gulkand Ice cream

Step: 1 – Form the Thandai concentrate

1. Combine milk powder and half-and-half to a heavy-bottomed pan.

2. Stir until combined. Keep the heat on medium-low, so that the half-and-half in the pan continues to simmer.

3. Add Thandai powder and mix it well. Keep stirring the mixture to prevent burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. 

4. As the mixture begins to bubble, add gulkand. 

5. Mix it well. As soon as the half-and-half mixture boils, remove it from the heat, but keep stirring. Set it aside to cool to room temperature.

6. Keep stirring occasionally as it cools to prevent the layer of cream from forming on the top. 

7. Strain the thandai concentrate through a fine-mesh wire strainer to remove the chunky pieces of the Thandai mix.

8. Press the remaining liquid with a spoon or spatula, allowing the liquid to strain through. Discard the thandai mix. 

Step:2 – Add the sweetener 

9. Once the thandai concentrate cools down, pour in condensed milk.

10. Stir it well to combine.

11. Pour in cardamom essence. 

12. Mix again. 

Step:3 – Prepare the Saffron milk

Come lukewarm milk and toasted saffron strands together in a bowl. Set it aside for 4-5minutes. Toasted saffron strands will release their beautiful yellow color and flavor into the milk. Mix it well and set it aside. 

Step:4 – Form the Ice cream base

1. Add the whipping cream to the bowl of your stand mixer.

2. Add powdered sugar, cream of tartar, and salt.

3. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form.

4. Set aside. 

5. Take 3-4 tablespoons of whipped cream in a mixing bowl. Store the remaining whipped cream in the refrigerator to chill. 

6. Add the thandai concentrate ( that we had prepared earlier in the recipe) to the mixing bowl.

7. Gently fold the two together until smooth and lump-free. 

8. Pour in the saffron milk. 

9. Mix until the saffron is fully incorporated in the thandai-cream mixture. 

10. Add this mixture to the chilled whipped cream.

11. Add thandai powder and edible dried rose petals to the whipped cream.

12. Fold it gently until all the ingredients are well blended into the cream. 

Step:5- Freeze the Ice Cream

Now all you need is a freezable dish. I have used a loaf pan to freeze my Thandai gulkand icecream. You can use a freezable bowl or any other freezer-friendly pan to freeze.

Pour the ice cream into the pan, garnish with a generous sprinkle of thandai powder and edible dried rose petals. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze away. 

Freeze the ice cream for at least 6 – 8 hours.

When ready to serve, remove the plastic covering and let the ice cream sit over the counter for at least 5 minutes before scooping it into bowls. 

Now, add a scoop, actually make it two scoops, and enjoy! 

Recipe tips to make the best Thandai Gulkand Ice cream

» The combo — The two main ingredients of no-churn Thandai ice cream are whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk. If you try to swap cream with milk or any other substitute, the ice cream will be more icy than soft. 

» Keep stirring the thandai concentrate at all times to prevent burning. 

» Fat content — Ensure that you use the cream that has a fat content of 35% or higher. The higher the cream content, the creamier the ice cream.

» Thicken cream —  I have used cream of tartar to thicken my whipping cream. However, you can add cornstarch to thicken the cream. Read here for more options. 

» You can always use store-bought thandai powder to speed up the process. Please do not substitute thandai powder with thandai syrup. 

» Nuts — I prefer crunchy nuts in my ice cream, and that’s the reason the thandai mix was strained after boiling. But if you like softer bites in your ice cream, feel free to omit this step and proceed with the recipe. 

» What I love about this ice cream is really how easy it is to make and how many variations of it you can make. Add any other mix-ins that you love. Some tested additions are:

• Slivered nuts
• Candied fruit ( tutti-frutti)
• White chocolate morsels. The sky is the limit; get creative if you like!

» Solid scoop — If you favor a more solid scoop of Thandai ice cream, freeze it for a few more hours. 

Storage!

You can store the leftover ice cream in the freezer for about 2 weeks in an airtight container. After two weeks, the ice cream will start developing unappetizing icy crystals on top. 

If not using the whole batch right away, I recommend storing the ice cream in a smaller container to avoid refreezing it. 

Can I double up the Thandai Gulkand Ice cream recipe? 

You most certainly can! This thandai ice cream, when doubled, can cater for a large gathering.

However, I would suggest using a couple of loaf pans to freeze the ice cream. Because, if the storage container is too large, the ice cream won’t freeze well in the desired time. 

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you haven’t tried ice cream with Thandai flavor yet, do yourself a favor and make this super creamy ice cream today. It will be a huge hit with all the guests and family.

Should you make homemade Thandai Gulkand Ice cream or any variation of it, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. 

And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.

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