This is my take on the vibrant Persian ice cream, bastani sonnati, infused with saffron, cardamom, rose water, and studded with pistachios. It’s an elegant, refreshing frozen dessert that’s both beautiful and delicious.
If you’ve never had bastani sonnati, golden-hued Persian ice cream, you’re in for a treat! Imagine the most luxurious frozen custard scented with delicate rose water and cardamom, stained golden with aromatic saffron, and studded with pistachios and dried rose buds. Once I tried this gorgeous dessert at Delbar and Rumi’s Kitchen, two of my favorite Persian restaurants, I knew I had to make it at home.
Saffron and rose ice cream may sound fancy, but my no-churn version is pretty simple. I make a custard, fold it into whipped cream, and freeze it. You don’t even need an ice cream maker!
It’s perfect for summer gatherings as a cool and unexpected dessert served in a beautiful fluted goblet. I find the flavors to be delicate and well-balanced, but you could also take it to the next level and add a drizzle of honey on top. It’s as beautiful to look at as it is delicious to eat!
Table of Contents
- What’s in Persian Ice Cream?
- Ingredient Spotlight
- How to Make Persian Ice Cream
- How to Make Shortcut Saffron and Rose Ice Cream
- Make it Your Own
- What to Serve with Persian Ice Cream (Bastani Sonnati)
- How to Store
- More Rose-Infused Desserts
- Persian Ice Cream with Saffron, Pistachios, and Rose (Bastani Sonnati) Recipe
What’s in Persian Ice Cream?
This stunning frozen dessert requires simple but high-impact ingredients to yield its signature golden color and distinctive flavor.
- Egg yolks, cooked with sugar and milk, thicken the rich custard base of the ice cream, giving it the silkiest texture, even without churning.
- Sugar adds sweetness and reduces the likelihood of ice crystals forming, resulting in a soft, scoopable texture. You can use raw or white sugar. Using raw sugar will add a whisper of caramel-like flavor.
- Whole milk acts as the liquid base. Because the color and aroma compounds of saffron are water-soluble, the milk carries its flavor throughout the custard.
- Saffron gives the ice cream its golden hue and signature earthy, floral aroma.
- Kosher salt: Just a tiny pinch of salt enhances all the other flavors in the ice cream.
- Rose water: Adds a delicate floral flavor that’s traditional in Persian desserts, including Persian Love Cake and Faloodeh, Persian granita. More on this lovely ingredient below.
- Vanilla extract acts as a background player. Just a splash adds depth and warmth.
- Ground cardamom brings a subtly spicy, citrusy note that complements the floral flavor of the rose water and the earthy saffron.
- Heavy cream: Whipped cream folded into the cooled custard helps the mixture stay soft once frozen. Incorporating air helps give the finished ice cream a fluffy texture.
- Pistachios: Lightly crushed pistachios add dynamic texture and nutty flavor contrast.
- Dried roses (optional) add beauty and texture. Look for them amidst the loose-leaf herbal teas!
- Honey: An optional final drizzle of honey over top of the scooped ice cream adds a little extra sweetness. Any honey will do, but I like to use a wildflower honey for this recipe to complement the rose water.
Ingredient Spotlight
A great quality rose water is key for making Persian ice cream. For the best flavor, use 100 percent natural distilled rose water, which is clear and has a delicately fragrant aroma. Avoid rose water that is pink or artificially flavored, which can overwhelm and ruin the flavor of the ice cream. Rose water should be the only ingredient listed, with no additives, sugar or alcohol.
- READ MORE: What is Rose Water and How Do You Use It?
- TRY IT: Rose Water distilled from rose petals in Lebanon
How to Make Persian Ice Cream
This no-churn saffron ice cream takes a little patience, but the steps are simple and the result is rewarding. Here’s how to make it.
Make and Chill the Custard
- Combine the egg yolks and sugar. Fill a large bowl about one-third with ice water. In a medium bowl, add 6 large egg yolks and 1/2 cup of raw cane sugar or granulated sugar. Whisk until the mixture is pale, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Flavor the milk. In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk, 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, a tiny pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon), and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Set the saucepan over medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking continuously until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.
- Make the custard. In a slow, thin, and steady stream, add the milk mixture to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Once everything is combined, return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of syrup (it should lightly coat the back of the wooden spoon). This could take up to 15 minutes. Watch carefully and don’t let it boil!
- Cool and flavor the custard. Pour the custard back into the medium bowl and set the bowl inside the large bowl of ice water (make sure the ice water doesn’t get into your custard). Stir the custard until it has cooled, then stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons rose water, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom. Remove the custard bowl from the ice bath and place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to cool quickly, or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Combine and Freeze
- Beat the cream. Pour 1 cup well-chilled heavy cream into a large bowl (if using a hand mixer) or into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium until silky, stiff peaks form. Take care not to over-whip the cream.
- Combine the ice cream. Use a rubber spatula to fold the cooled custard carefully and slowly into the whipped cream. Once combined, fold in 1/4 cup of crushed pistachios.
- Freeze the ice cream. Pour the ice cream into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup pistachios and a small handful of dried rose buds and petals (if using) on top. Cover the surface flush with plastic wrap or parchment paper and freeze until the mixture is firm, about 6 hours.
- Serve. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to soften enough to scoop. Serve scoops of the ice cream in bowls, and if you like it a bit sweeter, add a drizzle of warmed honey on top.
How to Make Shortcut Saffron and Rose Ice Cream
In a pinch, try my cheater’s version using store-bought vanilla ice cream. Start by crushing the saffron with a mortar and pestle. Then add the saffron to the rose water, allowing it to bloom. Mix the saffron-infused rose water, the cardamom, and pistachios into 2 quarts of softened vanilla ice cream. Transfer the mixture to the 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and freeze, covered with plastic wrap, for a couple of hours, until firm.
Make it Your Own
You can use this no-churn saffron ice cream recipe as a base and adjust the mix-ins to your preference. Here are some other ways I’d like to experiment with it.
- Add more floral essence: Swap some or all of the rose water with orange blossom water for a slightly citrusy, fragrant twist that still stays true to Middle Eastern flavors.
- Infuse with vanilla bean: Use the seeds from one vanilla bean in place of extract for a deeper, more aromatic vanilla flavor.
- Swap the nuts: Replace pistachios with toasted slivered almonds or chopped walnuts for a different texture and earthy flavor.
- Fold in chewy mix-ins: Replace the pistachios and roses with small bits of Turkish delight, candied citrus peel, or even chunks of halva to change it up.
- Churn it in an ice cream maker: Skip the step of whipping the cream, and instead incorporate the cream directly into the custard. Then churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Note that this recipe makes about 2 quarts of finished ice cream, so depending on the volume of your ice cream maker you may need to churn it in 2 batches.
What to Serve with Persian Ice Cream (Bastani Sonnati)
This elegant Persian ice cream makes a beautiful finish to any summer meal, especially when paired with other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. Serve it after a grilled feast like our Joojeh Kabob (Persian Saffron and Yogurt Chicken Kabobs) or Shish Tawook. It’s also a lovely way to finish a meal of braised Persian-style lamb shanks and dill-fava bean rice. The delicate floral notes of the ice cream are a refreshing contrast to these savory flavors.
For a special occasion or afternoon tea, pair bastani sonnati with Ma’amoul date cookies or a platter of Turkish delight, halva, fresh fruit, and strong brewed Arabic mint tea. The rose and saffron in the ice cream echo the aromatic notes in these classic treats, making for a lovely dessert spread.
How to Store
Store leftover Bastani Sonnati in the freezer with plastic wrap or parchment paper pressed to the surface for up to a week. Though it’s still fine to eat after that, it tends to form ice crystals as time goes on, so I think it’s best when finished sooner. When ready to serve, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly for the best texture.
More Rose-Infused Desserts
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Persian Ice Cream with Saffron, Pistachios, and Rose (Bastani Sonnati)
Ingredients
- 6 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup raw cane sugar or granulated sugar, divided
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- Kosher salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons rose water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup lightly crushed pistachios, divided
- Dried rosebuds (optional)
- Honey, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the egg yolks and sugar. Fill a large bowl about one-third with ice water. In a medium bowl, add the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Whisk until the mixture is pale, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Flavor the milk. In a medium saucepan, add the whole milk, saffron threads, a tiny pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon), and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Set the saucepan over medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking continuously until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.
- Make the custard. In a slow, thin, and steady stream, add the milk mixture to the egg yolk mixture, whisking the entire time. Once everything is combined, return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of syrup (it should lightly coat the back of the wooden spoon). This could take up to 15 minutes. Watch carefully and don’t let it boil!
- Cool and flavor the custard. Pour the custard back into the medium bowl and set the bowl inside the large bowl of ice water (make sure the ice water doesn’t get into your custard). Stir the custard until it has cooled, then stir in the rose water, vanilla, and cardamom. Remove the custard bowl from the ice bath and place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to cool quickly, or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Beat the cream. Pour the cream into a large bowl (if using a hand mixer) or into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium until silky, stiff peaks form. Take care not to over-whip the cream.
- Combine the ice cream. Use a rubber spatula to fold the cooled custard carefully and slowly into the whipped cream. Once combined, fold in 1/4 cup of the pistachios.
- Freeze the ice cream. Pour the ice cream into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup pistachios and the dried roses (if using) on top. Cover the surface flush with plastic wrap and freeze until the mixture is firm, about 6 hours.
- Serve. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to soften enough to scoop. Serve scoops of the ice cream in bowls, and if you like it a bit sweeter, add a drizzle of warmed honey on top.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the cardamom, rose water, saffron, and honey used in this recipe.
- For Shortcut Saffron Ice Cream: In a pinch, try my cheater’s version using store-bought vanilla ice cream. Start by crushing the saffron with a mortar and pestle. Then add the saffron to the rose water, allowing it to bloom. Mix the saffron-infused rose water, the cardamom, and pistachios into softened vanilla ice cream. Transfer the mixture to the 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and freeze, covered with plastic wrap, for a couple of hours, until firm.
- For best flavor, use 100 percent natural distilled rose water, which is clear and has a delicately fragrant aroma. Avoid rose water that is pink or artificially flavored, which can overwhelm and ruin the flavor of the ice cream. Look at the ingredient list: Rose water should be the only ingredient listed, with no additives or sugar.
Nutrition
Ó•Florale 100% Natural Rose Water
Made using a time-honored distillation process, a splash adds a delicate and aromatic quality to sweet and savory dishes, from compotes and rice pudding to ice-cold lemonade.
