A delicious treat for summer, Thandai Ice Cream combines all the flavors of Thandai in every bite.
Easy, quick and fuss-free recipe with only 10 minutes of active time and a handful of ingredients!
Warm days call for something delicious; and ice-cream is often the correct answer!
For the longest time I have stayed away from homemade ice-creams but finally caved in a few years ago. And once on the homemade ice cream journey, it is difficult to step back.
It is not only satisfying to make these ice creams at home, it is a great way to customize and make them in a way that you like best.
From picking your favorite milk and cream to adding sugar as needed and flavoring with a single flavor or multiple, the choice is always yours!
I have made all kinds of chocolate ice creams, butterscotch, vanilla and fruit based ones. Thandai ice-cream was one of the ones we have enjoyed the most along with this Gajar Halwa Ice Cream, Litchi Ice Cream and Rose Shrikhand Popsicles.
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What is Thandai
Thandai is a popular milk drink made with a special blend of seeds, spices and nuts called Thandai Masala. It is often enjoyed on festivals like Mahashivratri or Holi but tastes amazing through summers!
Thandai Masala can be made in advance and used to make all kinds of thandai flavored recipes. I love making Thandai and Gujiya using this masala.
Thandai Ice Cream
While thandai is a great drink that is super cooling in the heat and always tasty; converting the same to an ice cream is a whole new experience.
Using the Thandai Masala as base we make this thandai ice-cream that is bursting with flavors. It has the perfect creaminess from cream and milk plus flavors of fennel, nuts, rose and pepper from the Thandai Masala.
Why this recipe works
- Thandai ice cream is favorite flavor for summers.
- It is so full of nuts, seeds and other ingredients that it tastes amazing.
- This recipe needs only a handful of ingredients; just sugar, milk, cream and thandai powder. All the other ingredients are optional.
- This thandai ice cream needs no cooking at all; you just need to mix and churn till ready!
- When using an ice-cream maker the recipe needs only 10 minutes of active time as the rest is just churning time.
- The recipe can be served at a party immediately after making as a soft serve. It can be frozen and served in bulk later too.
- It is eggless and super creamy and uses no extra ingredients that you do not want in your ice creams!
This recipe is a must-try for summers and something that everyone will definitely enjoy. It does not have any bhaang (a spiking agent) making the ice cream safe for kids too.
Why use an Ice cream machine
There are plenty of ways to make ice creams. Using an ice cream maker is one of the popular ways. This ice cream machine has been great for us.
- Using an ice cream maker makes the ice cream free from any ice crystals. Generally no-churn ice creams are more susceptible to ice crystals.
- It is a super easy way to get a soft serve in under 30 minutes. And chilling the ice cream for a few hours yields a regular consistency ice cream too.
- These machines are not very expensive. You DO NOT need to break a bank to own one. Especially if you and your family loves ice creams.
- Clean up is super easy when using a machine. It is generally just two bowls; one for the base and other is the machine bowl.
- The ice creams can be made with various proportions of milk and cream. They can be as light or as heavy as desired.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Whole Milk: Whole milk makes the creamiest ice cream. I generally make all my ice creams with whole milk. If you use a milk with lower fat, chances are the ice cream will not be as creamy. However, it can be made if desired.
- Heavy Cream: Another ingredient in the recipe is heavy cream. When whipped it doubles and makes the ice cream rich and delicious. I generally use this cream brand and love it for my ice creams. Heavy whipping cream has no real substitute in ice cream recipes. Half and half etc will not do the trick.
- Sugar: Regular sugar or brown sugar will work here. As we chill the base for a while before churning, you do not need to powder it. Using brown sugar is an option but it will yield a darker shade in the ice cream.
- Thandai Powder: I like to use my home-made thandai powder for the recipe. Using store bought powder is an option too.
- Saffron: A little bite of saffron makes the recipe delicious and imparts a light tinge. I like to add it though it is not mandatory.
- Toppings: Sprinkling some toppings and adding some in the ice cream given it an authentic taste. Chopped nuts, raw fennel, dried rose petals etc are perfect for this. I like to add some to the ice cream and leave the rest as toppings.
To to make this recipe
1- Add ¾ cup milk to a large bowl.
2- Add ¼ cup thandai powder and ¾ cup sugar.
3- Churn using an immersion blender till the powder distributes well.
4- Add 2 cups whipping cream and mix with a spatula.
5- Chill the base for an hour to 90 minutes. Meanwhile, mix a pinch of saffron with the remaining ¼ cup lukewarm milk.
6- Set aside till it cools down completely.
7- In a chilled ice cream maker bowl add the chilled ice cream base.
8- Also add the saffron milk and start churning the ice cream.
9- Let the ice cream churn for 15-16 minutes; till it starts to thicken.
10- Once the ice cream begins to form, add nuts.
11- Add in rose petals. Churn for another 3 minutes to distribute the nuts and rose petals.
12- Once it all comes together, stop the ice cream machine.
13- You can enjoy it right away as a soft serve ice cream or chill in a freezer safe container with some added toppings.
14- Enjoy topped with nuts and rose petals!
Making Thandai Ice cream without an ice cream maker
Using and ice cream machine has several benefits. However, we can make the same ice cream without it too.
To make it you need condensed milk and cream. Whip the cream, add the condensed milk, sugar and thandai powder. Fold everything in and top with nuts and rose petals. Set the ice cream and enjoy!
Expert Tips and Notes
- Make sure you chill the ice cream maker base before using. If it is not frozen, the ice cream will not form.
- The base of the ice cream should be cold but not frozen. Placing it in the fridge for an hour usually works well.
- The sweetness in the ice cream tends to lessen on freezing. So even if the base is slightly extra sweet, it will mellow down once frozen.
- Do not exceed the capacity specification of the manufacturer as it will result in the ice-cream overflowing and causing a mess.
- Add the nuts and rose petals towards the end of the churning. This avoid them from getting stuck in the machine.
- Pick and choose your toppings for the ice cream. They are not mandatory but recommended.
- Freeze the ice cream using an airtight container or a metal bowl covered with shrink wrap as exposing the ice cream in the freezer will encourage crystals to form.
- Use an airtight container to set the ice-cream. It helps eliminate freezer burns. I have used a metal pan for the purpose of the pictures.
Storing
The ice cream maker makes ice creams of softy texture and consistency. Enjoy it directly from the machine or freeze it for a few hours in an air tight container.
Serve using an ice cream scoop in your choice of cup, bowl or cone. Removing the ice cream a few minutes before serving helps softening it.
Store remaining ice cream in an airtight container. This helps eliminate any freezer burn.
Recipe FAQs
Thandai is a popular milk drink made with a special blend of seeds, spices and nuts called Thandai Masala. It is often enjoyed on festivals like Mahashivratri or Holi but tastes amazing through summers!
If ice cream is not stored properly, it develops ice crystals. Store it in an air-tight container to reduce freezer burn and crystals. There are lots of options available in various sizes.
Once set, the ice cream can be stored for 2-3 weeks. Make sure it is in an airtight container.
Ice creams tend to get less sweet as they churn and set. So ensure the base is slightly sweeter than you would like your ice cream. It will be okay once it sets.
More Thandai Recipes
More Ice Cream Recipes
Thandai Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Thandai Powder
- 1 pinch Saffron
- 2 tablespoon Dried Rose Petals
- ¼ cup Pistachios Slivered
Instructions
- Add ¾ cup milk to a large bowl.
- Add the thandai powder and sugar.
- Churn using an immersion blender till the powder distributes well.
- Add the whipping cream and mix with a spatula.
- Chill the base for an hour to 90 minutes.
- Mix saffron with the remaining ¼ cup lukewarm milk and set aside.
- In a chilled ice cream maker bowl add the base and saffron milk.
- Start churning the ice cream.
- Once the ice cream begins to form i.e. you see it thickening well add dried rose petals and nuts.
- Churn for another 3 minutes to distribute the nuts and stop the machine.
- You can enjoy it right away as a soft serve ice cream or chill in a freezer safe container with some added toppings.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you chill the ice cream maker pot before using. If it is not frozen, the ice cream will not form.
- The base of the ice cream should be cold but not frozen. Placing it in the fridge for an hour usually works well.
- The sweetness in the ice cream tends to lessen on freezing. So even if the base is slightly extra sweet, it will mellow down once frozen.
- Do not exceed the capacity specification of the manufacturer as it will result in the ice-cream overflowing and causing a mess.
- Add the nuts and rose petals towards the end of the churning. This avoid them from getting stuck in the machine.
- Pick and choose your toppings for the ice cream. They are not mandatory but recommended.
- Freeze the ice cream using an airtight container or a metal bowl covered with shrink wrap as exposing the ice cream in the freezer will encourage crystals to form.
- Use an airtight container to set the ice-cream. It helps eliminate freezer burns. I have used a metal pan for the purpose of the pictures.
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