Bastani Sonnati Recipe (Persian Saffron Ice Cream)

This Bastani Sonnati recipe uses a cooked milk base and an ice-cream maker for repeatable texture. Salep thickens strongly, so weigh or level it carefully and confirm that the product is sold for food use.

Bastani Sonnati ingredients

Bloom saffron separately and keep rosewater measured; too much floral flavor can overwhelm the dairy.

• 2 cups (475 ml) whole milk
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp food-grade salep powder
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) rosewater
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads, finely ground and bloomed in 2 tbsp hot water
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1/3 cup (40 g) chopped unsalted pistachios
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, optional
• Pinch of fine salt

How to make Persian saffron ice cream

Cool the base fully before churning and keep the cream flakes frozen until the final mixing stage.

1. Spread the cream in a thin layer on a parchment-lined plate and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Break it into small flakes and return them to the freezer.
2. Mix the sugar and salep thoroughly while dry; this helps prevent the salep from clumping.
3. Heat the milk and salt to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the sugar-salep mixture gradually and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly thickened.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in bloomed saffron, rosewater and optional cardamom. Cool over an ice bath, then refrigerate until completely cold.
5. Churn in an ice-cream maker according to its instructions. During the final minutes, add pistachios and the frozen cream flakes.
6. Transfer to a covered freezer container and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably 8, until scoopable. Let stand briefly at room temperature before serving.

How salep affects the texture

Salep gives the ice cream body and a slightly elastic texture, but excess can make it gummy. Mixing it thoroughly with sugar before whisking into hot milk disperses the powder and reduces clumps.

How Bastani Sonnati is served

Serve it in bowls, alongside faloodeh, or between thin wafers as an ice-cream sandwich. It belongs to a larger family of traditional Persian desserts.

Frequently asked questions

Can I omit salep?

The result will be less elastic. Use a tested alternative formula rather than replacing salep one-for-one with another starch.

Why did my salep clump?

It was probably added directly to liquid. Mix it evenly with sugar first and whisk the mixture in gradually.

Can I make it without a machine?

A no-churn method needs a different formulation. Freezing this base without agitation will produce larger ice crystals.

Bastani Sonnati recipe card

Bastani Sonnati Recipe (Persian Saffron Ice Cream)

Recipe by Ferdos

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: DessertCuisine: PersianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

35

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Freezing time

480

minutes

Total time

8

hours 

50

minutes

Persian saffron ice cream flavored with rosewater and pistachios, with pieces of frozen cream and a salep-thickened milk base.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (475 ml) whole milk

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp food-grade salep powder

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) rosewater

• 1/4 tsp saffron threads, finely ground and bloomed in 2 tbsp hot water

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream

• 1/3 cup (40 g) chopped unsalted pistachios

• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, optional

• Pinch of fine salt

Directions

• Spread the cream in a thin layer on a parchment-lined plate and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Break it into small flakes and return them to the freezer.
• Mix the sugar and salep thoroughly while dry; this helps prevent the salep from clumping.
• Heat the milk and salt to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the sugar-salep mixture gradually and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly thickened.
• Remove from heat. Stir in bloomed saffron, rosewater and optional cardamom. Cool over an ice bath, then refrigerate until completely cold.
• Churn in an ice-cream maker according to its instructions. During the final minutes, add pistachios and the frozen cream flakes.
• Transfer to a covered freezer container and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably 8, until scoopable. Let stand briefly at room temperature before serving.

Recipe Video

Notes

• Salep powder is to give elasticity to the ice cream. So the amount of saleb you add to the milk is very important. If you add less of it, it will not form, and it will be thick if you add more of it.

Sources

Dish structure was cross-checked with Cooking With Samira’s Bastani Sonnati guide and current US search results.