- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 1 l
- 400 g
- 200 g
- 40 g
- 1 tsp
- 1 tbsp
- 20 g
- 1 pinch
Process
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Pour the whole milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often with a silicone spatula to stop a skin forming.
Lower the heat and reduce the milk for 25–30 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until it has thickened to about two-thirds of its original volume and coats the spatula.
Whisk the cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold milk in a small bowl until smooth, then stir it into the hot reduced milk along with the caster sugar, ground cardamom and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes until lightly thickened.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not set a skin.
Fold the mango puree into the warm milk base with a spatula until fully blended and an even pale-orange colour. Taste and add a little more sugar only if the mango was tart.
Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug, then divide between 6 kulfi moulds or small freezer-safe cups, leaving 1 cm headspace.
Cover each mould tightly with cling film or a lid and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until completely firm.
To serve, dip the moulds in warm water for 10–15 seconds, unmould onto plates and scatter with slivered pistachios.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is using underripe or fibrous mangoes: the puree must be silky and sweet, so blend and sieve it before folding in, otherwise the kulfi tastes vegetal and icy.
- Reducing the milk properly is the whole game. If you pull it off the heat while still watery, the kulfi freezes into hard ice; it is ready when a spatula drawn through leaves a clear trail that closes slowly.
- Cornstarch is the halal-friendly stabiliser here. It must be slaked in cold milk first; dumping it dry into hot milk gives lumps that never smooth out.
- Freeze the moulds on a flat tray and do not stir during freezing. Kulfi is meant to be dense and sliceable, not scooped like churned ice cream.
Substitutions
- mango puree→canned alphonso mango pulp, drained and blended
- caster sugar→honey or date syrup, added to taste
- pistachios→toasted almonds or cashews
- whole milk→evaporated milk plus 200 ml water for a faster reduction
Storage & reheating
Keep the kulfi in its moulds or an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 weeks; press cling film directly onto the surface if storing unmoulded to prevent freezer burn. To serve from a large container, let it soften at room temperature for 5-8 minutes, or dip individual moulds in warm water for 10-15 seconds. Do not refreeze once fully thawed, as the texture turns grainy.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my mango kulfi turn out icy and hard instead of creamy?
The milk was not reduced enough, so there was too much water in the base. Reduce 1 litre of whole milk down to roughly 650-700 ml before adding the mango, and make sure the cornstarch slurry goes in while the milk is still hot so it can thicken properly.
Can I use canned mango pulp instead of fresh mangoes?
Yes, and it is actually more consistent out of season. Use 400 g of canned alphonso pulp, drain off any thin syrup first, and reduce the added sugar to 20 g because canned pulp is already sweetened. Blend it smooth before folding into the milk base.
How do I unmould kulfi without breaking it?
Dip each mould in warm water for only 10-15 seconds, then run a thin knife around the edge and invert onto a plate. If it still resists, dip again briefly; leaving it in the water too long melts the outer layer and the kulfi slumps.
Can I make mango kulfi without an ice cream churner?
Kulfi is traditionally never churned, so no machine is needed. The dense texture comes from the reduced milk and cornstarch, not from churning. Just pour into moulds and freeze undisturbed for at least 6 hours.
How long does mango kulfi keep in the freezer?
It keeps well for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container. After that it slowly picks up freezer odours and ice crystals form on the surface. Press cling film directly onto the surface if you are storing it unmoulded.
Why is my kulfi grainy rather than smooth?
Graininess usually comes from fibrous mango puree or from cornstarch that was not fully dissolved. Sieve the mango puree before folding it in, and always whisk the cornstarch into cold milk before adding it to the hot base.
Can I reduce the sugar or use a sugar substitute?
You can cut the caster sugar to 20 g, but do not remove it entirely: sugar lowers the freezing point and keeps the kulfi soft enough to bite. If using a granulated sugar substitute, add an extra tablespoon of condensed milk to protect the texture.
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