If you follow Rollz, you’ll know how much we love the desi desserts and flavours. So much so that we’re the only ice cream store that serves desi-inspired rolled ice cream flavours. One sweet treat that can’t be ignored is the popular kulfi. What is it and where do they originate from? Read on to find out!
What is Kulfi and what is it made of?
Kulfi is a traditional dessert from South Asia. It is a frozen dessert that is pretty similar to regular ice cream and is often called Indian ice cream. Kulfi is denser and creamier than regular ice cream as it is often made by slow-cooking and caramelizing milk, being constantly stirred so the milk doesn’t stick and burn.
Today, it is made with heavy cream, evaporated milk, or sweetened condensed milk to quicken the process. Sometimes, filler ingredients such as bread or cornstarch with water are used to make the kulfi mixture thicken faster. The most similar North American treat would be a frozen custard dessert. It is a very dense, rich, and creamy frozen sweet dessert.
This sweet treat is also popular in other countries in Asia such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and some countries in the Middle East, with their own variations of course. Kulfi comes in different traditional flavours such as pistachio, vanilla, mango, rose, saffron, and cardamom, but can be made into other different flavours.
Origins of Kulfi
The term kulfi itself is a Persian word for covered cup. While it’s not clear where it truly originates from, kulfi likely originated from Northern India during the Mughal Empire in the 16th century.
Many Indian traditional desserts already contained a thick milk mixture, often condensed milk that the Mughals often added traditional flavours ingredients such as pistachios and saffron. They would pack these mixtures into metal cones and freeze them in a slurry of ice and salt to efficiently transport them from the Himalayas to warmer parts of the empire. Thus, kulfi was created.
Kulfi at Rollz
Rollz serves a wide variety of desi-inspired rolled ice cream using a kulfi ice cream base. One of the flavors is a traditional Pistachio Kulfi. It starts off as a kulfi base, poured onto a cold flat metal plate, which is mixed with pistachios, flattened and rolled out, and later served with more pistachios and other toppings.
Another kulfi flavour at Rollz is the Mango Mastani Kulfi. This rolled ice cream incorporates another popular treat, the mango mastani – a type of mango milkshake. The ingredients of mango mastani is used as a kulfi ice cream base to create a rolled ice cream version of the dessert.
Looking for kulfi to enjoy in the Greater Toronto Area? Look no further and drop by any Rollz Ice Cream store locations. We offer a variety of delicious rolled ice cream (kulfi) and other desserts that are sure to leave you wanting more! What are you waiting for? Visit us today!
