Indian Butterscotch Ice Cream (No Churn)
Creamy no-churn ice cream with a real brown sugar and ghee butterscotch ripple, cardamom in the base, and pistachios on top. No ice cream machine required.
Ingredients
For the butterscotch sauce
- 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
- 6 tbsp brown sugar packed
- 3 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
- pinch of fine salt
- ¼ tsp butterscotch essence optional
For the ice cream base
- 480 ml heavy cream 2 cups; very cold
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz / 400 g; chilled
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground green cardamom
- 2 to 3 tbsp chopped pistachios for ripple and garnish; plus 1 tbsp chopped cashews
Instructions
Make the butterscotch sauce
- In a small heavy pan, melt ghee on low. Add brown sugar and stir until melted and bubbling with a toffee scent, 2 to 4 minutes. Do not walk away; brown sugar moves quickly.
- Pull the pan off the heat. Whisk in cream or milk carefully; it will sputter. Stir in salt. Return to low heat only if you need to smooth lumps, then cool completely. Stir in essence at the end if using. You should have about ½ cup sauce.
Whip and fold the base
- In a chilled bowl, whip cold heavy cream with vanilla and cardamom to soft peaks.
- Pour in chilled condensed milk and fold gently until no streaks remain.
- Reserve 2 tbsp sauce and 1 tbsp chopped pistachios for serving. Fold the rest of the sauce and remaining nuts into the base in two additions, leaving ribbons.
Freeze and serve
- Spread into a loaf pan or freezer tub. Press parchment on the surface. Freeze 6 to 8 hours until firm.
- Soften 5 minutes, scoop, and top with reserved sauce, pistachios, and cashews.
Notes
Jaggery swap: replace brown sugar with grated jaggery for a milder ripple; blend cooled sauce smooth if it grains when cold.
Nut-free guests: omit nuts in the fold and garnish with crushed butterscotch chips or extra sauce only.
Vegan path: whip chilled thick coconut cream with vegan sweetened condensed milk; make the sauce with coconut oil instead of ghee.
Storage: keep covered in the freezer up to 2 weeks. Press parchment on any cut surface to limit ice crystals.
Double batch: double all ingredients and use two pans for the sauce so it cools faster. Freeze in two tubs for easier scooping.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!