Saffron is the dried stigma of crocus flowers and has been used and traded for thousands of years. At US$5K per kilo it’s the world’s most expensive spice. It’s thought to have originated in Iran and is widely used throughout the Middle East as well as Europe and South East Asia in both savoury and sweet dishes. It imparts a yellow colour to food and has a hay-like flavour. A strong-tasting honey pairs perfectly in this ice cream.
I’ve been experimenting with a new method involving a fast blender, the addition of xanthan and guar gums and overnight refrigeration. The gums are optional but help to stabilise the mix (guar gum gives it some chewiness) and overnight refrigeration helps prevent the formation of ice crystals. The result is smoother ice cream. Measure 2 cups of milk and remove 2 tablespoons of the milk to make a slurry with 4 – 5 teaspoons of cornflour (cornstarch). In a saucepan bring to boil the remainder of the milk, 1¼ cups of double cream, 100g (3½ oz) of sugar, 85g (3 oz) of honey, 2 tablespoons of corn syrup and ¼ teaspoon of saffron threads. Allow to simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cornflour slurry then return to the heat and allow the mixture to thicken. Let the mixture steep for at least an hour while it cools in an ice bath. At this stage you can strain the mixture if you prefer but I chose to leave the saffron strands in. Pour the mixture into your blender and add 3 tablespoons of softened cream cheese, ¼ of a teaspoon of fine sea salt and ⅛ of a teaspoon each of guar and xanthan gum. Blend until very smooth and refrigerate, preferably overnight, before churning.
michelle picker cooks 