Magical Persian Ice Cream Recipe (Bastani): A Step by Step Guide (2024)

I can’t believe this is my first ice cream recipe on the blog! And it had to be a saffron and rose-flavored Persian ice cream recipe.Saffron ice cream is my husband’s absolute favorite flavor of ice cream. I was introduced to the flavor by him and love it now.Years ago, when we first got married, we would buy Saffron rosewater Persian ice cream from a Middle Eastern store in our city. Later on, I did some research and experimented with the recipe at home, and this is my Persian ice cream recipe that we love.

So, here is my take on the Persian Ice Cream recipe. Dive into the step-by-step instructions, tantalizing ingredients, and insider tips by reading our full recipe article on Persian ice cream.

What is Persian Ice Cream?

Persian ice cream is also called Bastani Sonati in Farsi.It has a lovely yellow hue from the saffron, a very expensive and aromatic spice. The addition of rose water gives it that amazing floral aroma and taste. Mastic, vanilla, and saleb are some other traditional ingredients used in making Bastani Sonati. Mastic and Saleb are hard to source in regular grocery stores so I have eliminated them from the recipe. Saleb or Salep is a flour made from orchid tubers, which acts as a natural thickener and gives the ice cream its stretchy consistency. I have replaced Saleb and vanilla with Custard powder in this recipe since custard powder has thickening agents plus vanilla in the ingredients.

Persian ice cream can be scooped into cones or bowls, and sometimes it’s sandwiched between thin wafers or served alongside pastries such as baklava. I like to just scoop it into a bowl and top it with raw chopped pistachios. Perfect fragrant ice cream treat on a hot summer day!

Ingredients used to make Persian saffron and rose ice cream

• 1 ½ cups + 1/4 cup Whole Milk
• 1 ½ tablespoons custard powder
• 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons rose water
• Big pinch of saffron
• 2 tablespoons raw green unsalted pistachios (optional)

How to make Persian Ice Cream at home

Here is how to make Persian Ice Cream:

1. Put the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer for at least 24 hours prior to churning the ice cream.
2. Take saffron in a mortar and pastel and grind it fine. It will be easier to dissolve it in milk.
3. Dissolve custard powder in ¼ cup milk and mix well.
4. In a large saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar, and saffron. Stir and bring it to a boil. Add the custard milk and mix well. Boil the milk for 3-4 minutes on medium heat till the milk thickens a bit and lightly coats the back of a spoon.
5. Remove from heat and add the heavy cream and rose water. Stir to combine. Bring it to room temperature and then cover it and place it in the refrigerator to cool for 3-4 hours or overnight.
6. Add the saffron ice cream mix to the ice cream insert. Churn the ice cream as per the manufacturer’s directions.
7. Once the ice cream is churned remove it will have a soft serve texture. Remove it in an airtight container to store in the freezer. Cover the container and freeze it for 6-8 hours.
8. To serve- scoop ice cream with an ice cream scoop and garnish with chopped raw pistachios.

How to make Bastani Sonati (Persian ice cream) without an ice cream maker

I have a very easy trick for you to make Persian ice cream without any cooking involved and without an ice cream maker.Here is how to make it:

• Melt store-bought vanilla ice cream at room temperature till soft but not very liquid.
• Dissolve ground saffron in 2 tablespoons of milk.
• Add saffron and rose water to the melted vanilla ice cream.
• Stir properly to combine.
• Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and freeze for 6-8 hours or overnight before scooping and serving.

Recipe tips to make Saffron and Rose Persian Ice cream

Here are a few recipe tips to make Saffron and Rose Persian Ice Cream:

• Grinding the saffron in mortar and pastel makes it fine and easier to dissolve in liquid and get the saffron color, so definitely do not skip that part.
• I have used Pistachio as a garnish in this recipe, but you can certainly churn it in the ice cream. Just be sure to incorporate it in the last minute of churning.
• This ice cream recipe is not too sweet so you can adjust the sugar to your preference.
• You can also adjust the amount of saffron and rose water you use in this recipe to your preference.
• If custard powder is not available to you, you can use 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch (also called corn flour) and a dash of vanilla in the recipe.

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