Paan Ice Cream (No Churn)
Creamy no-churn paan ice cream with fresh betel leaves, gulkand, and saunf folded into whipped cream. No ice cream maker needed.
Ingredients
For the paan blend
- 4 large fresh betel leaves meetha paan leaves only; wash and pat dry
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp gulkand rose petal jam; plus extra for drizzling
- ½ tsp green cardamom powder
- 1 tsp fennel seeds saunf; lightly crushed, or 1 tbsp sugar-coated saunf
For the cream base
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream 35% milk fat; chilled
- Pinch of salt (optional)
Mix-ins and garnish (optional)
- 2 tbsp orange tutti frutti
- 2 tbsp green tutti frutti
- 2 tbsp chopped candied cherries or glace cherries
- 1 tbsp chopped pistachios or almonds
- Few drops green food colour (optional)
- Fresh betel leaf, silver varq, or extra saunf for serving
Instructions
Blend the paan base
- Tear betel leaves into small pieces, discarding any thick central stem.
- Add leaves to a blender with milk, condensed milk, gulkand, cardamom, and crushed saunf.
- Blend on high until smooth and no green flecks remain. Strain through a fine sieve if your blender leaves bits.
Whip the cream
- Pour chilled heavy cream into a large cold bowl. Add salt if using.
- Beat on medium-high until soft peaks form. The cream should hold its shape but still look glossy.
- Do not overwhip. Stiff peaks make the ice cream dense and harder to fold.
Fold and add mix-ins
- Add the paan blend to the whipped cream in two additions. Fold with a spatula using slow figure-eight strokes.
- Fold in tutti frutti, cherries, and nuts if using. Add food colour now if you want a brighter green.
Freeze
- Transfer to a loaf pan or airtight freezer container. Level the top with a spatula.
- Sprinkle extra tutti frutti, cherries, and saunf on top if you like.
- Cover with lid or plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface. Freeze at least 6 to 8 hours, preferably overnight.
Scoop and serve
- Let the container sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 minutes before scooping.
- Serve in small bowls, on a fresh betel leaf, or in a leaf cup. Drizzle with gulkand and scatter extra saunf if desired.
Notes
Use meetha paan leaves only. Ask for sweet paan leaves without supari or tobacco.
Four large leaves give clear paan taste without bitterness. Five is the max at home.
Break up thick gulkand before blending so sweetness distributes evenly.
Cold bowl, cold beaters, cold cream. Warm cream will not whip properly.
Fold gently. Vigorous mixing deflates whipped cream and makes icy texture.
Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Press plastic wrap on the surface after each scoop.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!