Carrot Halwa Ice Cream
A creamy, eggless no-churn ice cream built on homemade carrot halwa. No ice cream maker needed — just a handful of pantry staples and an overnight freeze.
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Freezer-safe container with lid
Ingredients
For the Carrot Halwa Base
- 500 g carrots about 4 medium; peeled and finely grated
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk or ¼ cup jaggery — see Notes
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 10–12 cashews roughly chopped
For the Ice Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream 240 ml; cold
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- Prepared carrot halwa (cooled completely)
To Garnish (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
- A few saffron strands
Instructions
Make the Carrot Halwa
- Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add grated carrots and cook, stirring every couple of minutes, for 8–10 minutes until the raw smell disappears and the edges are lightly golden.
- Pour in the milk and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Add condensed milk (or jaggery), cardamom powder, saffron, and cashews. Stir and cook for a further 5 minutes until the halwa pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Remove from heat. Cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Whip the Cream
- Pour the cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl. Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3–4 minutes.
Fold and Freeze
- Add condensed milk to the whipped cream and fold gently until just combined.
- Add the chilled carrot halwa in two additions, folding with a spatula each time. Leave some orange streaks — do not overmix.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container. Press cling film directly onto the surface, seal, and freeze for at least 6–8 hours or overnight.
Scoop and Serve
- Remove from the freezer 8–10 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and garnish with chopped pistachios and saffron strands.
Notes
- Cool the halwa completely before folding into the cream. Warm halwa melts the cream and gives an icy, grainy texture.
- Jaggery swap: Replace condensed milk in the halwa with ¼ cup grated jaggery for a deeper, less-sweet flavour.
- Vegan version: Use the thick cream from a chilled can of coconut cream instead of heavy cream, sweetened condensed coconut milk, and coconut oil instead of ghee.
- Store-bought halwa: Reduce moisture by cooking in a pan over low heat for 5–6 minutes before using. Reduce sweetener in the ice cream base accordingly.
- Kulfi molds: Pour the folded mixture into kulfi or popsicle molds and freeze for 6–8 hours for a denser kulfi-style treat.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Press cling film directly onto the surface before sealing.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!