Carrot Juice with Saffron Ice Cream (Havij Bastani)
هویج بستنی Havij bastaniSay it: ha-VEEJ bas-ta-NEE
Havij bastani is Iran's simplest and most beloved summer dessert: fresh, sweet carrot juice poured over a scoop of saffron and rose water ice cream. Sold from juice shops and made at home, it is served in tall glasses on hot afternoons, when the ice cream half-melts into the juice into a cold, fragrant, faintly floral drink. The carrot is sweet and earthy, the ice cream is floral with saffron and rose, and chopped pistachios add crunch at the top.
Carrot Juice with Saffron Ice Cream (Havij Bastani)
هویج بستنی, Havij bastani
Pronounced ha-VEEJ bas-ta-NEE
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Medium
Allergens: contains milk, egg, nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Saffron and rose water ice cream
Carrot juice
Method
Juice the carrots and measure out about 2 cups (480 ml). If you have no juicer, grate the carrots finely and wring them out in a clean kitchen towel. Taste the juice and stir in the sugar or honey only if the carrots are not sweet enough, then refrigerate it until well chilled.
Grind the saffron threads with a small pinch of the measured sugar in a mortar until powdery. Warm 1 tbsp of the milk and pour it over the saffron; leave to steep for 10 minutes until deep orange.
In a heavy saucepan, warm the remaining milk, the cream and half of the sugar over medium heat until steaming and the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Do not let it boil.
Whisk the egg yolks with the rest of the sugar, the cornstarch and the salt in a bowl for 2 minutes, until pale, thick and glossy.
Ladle a little of the hot milk into the yolks while whisking, then pour everything back into the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5-7 minutes, until the custard coats the back of the spoon and a finger drawn across it leaves a clean line. Never let it boil.
Off the heat, stir in the saffron milk and the rose water. Strain the custard through a sieve into a bowl, cool it, then press plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until cold.
Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions, or pour the custard into a shallow lidded container and freeze for 3-4 hours, stirring vigorously with a fork every 30 minutes, until thick, pale yellow and scoopable.
Fold the chopped pistachios through the ice cream in the last minute of churning, then return it to the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
Pour the chilled carrot juice into 4 tall chilled glasses and set a generous scoop of saffron ice cream in each. Scatter with extra pistachios and serve at once with long spoons.
Regional variant: Bastani sonnati (بستنی سنتی), the classic saffron ice cream
For the full traditional ice cream, whisk 1 tsp (2 g) salep into the sugar along with the cornstarch for a chewier, stretchier texture. In the last minute of churning, stir in 1/2 cup (75 g) diced clotted cream (or kaymak) that has been frozen for 30 minutes, so it stays in firm creamy nuggets. The assembly with carrot juice is unchanged.
Cook's notes
- Keep the ice cream container and the serving glasses in the freezer for 15 minutes before you start: the colder everything is, the slower the ice cream melts into the juice.
- The custard must be fully cold before freezing, or it will form ice crystals; overnight in the fridge gives the smoothest result.
- If your carrot juice is pale or bland, a squeeze of lime or an extra teaspoon of honey lifts it without changing the character of the dish.
Serve with
Serve in tall chilled glasses with a long spoon and a straw, with extra chopped pistachios on the side.
Make ahead and storage
The ice cream keeps for 2 weeks in an airtight container in the freezer; soften for 5 minutes before scooping. The carrot juice keeps 2 days refrigerated, so stir it before serving.
