Saffron Ice Cream

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This, ladies and gentlemen, is Saffron Ice Cream.

This sweet treat is decadent, addictive and exotic.

Kind of like me 😉

I hope…

Plus, it’s perfect for summer!

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This is 1 gram of the good stuff.

I used the whole thing in this recipe, but it’s not necessary to use this amount. The flavor may be overwhelming if you are new to this costly spice and even veterans might like just a hint of its flavor, in that case use half or quarter of this amount.

It is very expensive so even a few strands will give you a faint yellow color and hint of fragrance, no need to go crazy with it. 

Also, my favorite cheat is buying Saffron Liquid. I found it at my local Middle Eastern market and I found it online too. You get way more bang for your buck that way. It’s my secret ingredient in my Lady Sansa cocktail (one of 10 Game of Thrones themed cocktails I made. I’m currently suffering from end-of-the-season withdrawals. Boooo..). It’s also the star of my Saffron Popcorn, if you like butter on your popcorn you have to try this popcorn.

Anyway, let’s get to it!

You need to scald the dairy mixture (measurements in the recipe card at the end of the post), or heat it until it is barely at a simmer.

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 While the dairy mixture heats, make your “liquid luxury.”

Pulverize the threads, I just used the back of my measuring spoon, and then steep them in hot water: 

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Set the nectar of the gods aside and then check on your dairy, making sure it doesn’t bubble over. Once it’s heated, turn off the heat and let it cool down. 

In the meantime, grab 6 eggs and a cup of sugar.

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Separate the yolks from the whites. My favorite way to separate eggs is to just crack open the egg and toss the yolk back and forth between each half of the shells and the whites will just fall off.

(Note: Save the egg whites for an omelet or scrambled egg whites with Sriracha and green onions and maybe like a hint of cheese?)

Whisk together the eggs yolks and sugar until they are pale yellow and silky smooth.

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 Now you need to SLOWLY add the dairy to the sugar and eggs while whisking constantly:

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After mixing a few cups of the dairy into the sugar and eggs, add the sugar and eggs mixture back to the pot:

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 Now place the pot on medium/low heat add the rest of the ingredients. Stir until it has thickened to a custard consistency:

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You want it to be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and hold its shape when you make a line with your finger.

Strain the mixture, chill it overnight and then freeze it according to your machine’s instructions.

(Note: the mixture will almost double in volume when it freezes. It will also become slightly less sweeter than it was when it wasn’t frozen.)

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 Try to have the patience not to eat this right out of the bowl and transfer it to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for a few hours or overnight until it sets.

Then scoop some and enjoy!

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