How to make creamy and smooth Rooh Afza ice cream

Another ice cream recipe guys. This one is a new family favorite. Rooh Afza ice cream!

Rooh Afza! For those who are unaware of the legacy of Rooh Afza, I just want to tell them that it is a syrup that has sweetened every Indian’s childhood. And not just the Indian sub-continent and its neighbors, Rooh Afza is also common in the Middle east.

 Rooh Afza is actually a sharbat, a slightly too-sweet concentrate of its kind introduced into India by the Mughal rulers.

Rooh Afza is a unique formula of fruity, floral and veggie essences. Ingredients of Rooh Afza include the essences of coriander, orange, pineapple, carrot, rose petals, spinach and mint.

 But, the most dominating of all the essences is that of rose, which forms a base of Rooh Afza.

This summer I was visiting Artesia, the Indian specialty market in Los Angeles. I was scanning through the Indian brands of syrups and concentrates  when I caught sight of Rooh Afza. While my mind was trying to overcome the nostalgia, my hands reached out and grabbed a bottle.

Me and my hubby thoroughly enjoyed the drink but my kiddo is not really a fan.

So, developing this recipe is my attempt to connect Aaru with Rooh Afza.

And, guess what… she loved it!

 I have already made it 4 times this summer. And I am sure about the fact that it is here to stay in the list of family favorites.

Why give this Rooh Afza Ice cream a try??

• It's Creamy and smooth.
• Pleasantly flavored with Rooh- Afza.
• The little bit of Vanilla essence brings it home. Even those who do not quite like the flavor of Rooh-Afza , will end up liking it.
• It is Rooh-Afza guys... super refreshing and delightful!

Quick tips for making Rooh Afza ice cream with an ice cream maker

• Freeze the bowl, way ahead of time. I like to freeze my bowl for a good 24 hours.  Though the manufacturer instructs freezing for at least 12 hours, I like to freeze it longer to ensure the best results. To make sure that your bowl is ready, give it a shake. There should be no movement whatsoever. The liquid should be fully frozen.
• Chill the mixture of the ingredients before adding to the ice cream machine.
• If you do not have time to make and chill the mixture beforehand, make sure to keep all the ingredients refrigerated and mix them well while preparing the ice cream. The only issue here could be the condensed milk, as it becomes very thick on refrigeration and might be a work to mix into the ice cream mixture. Therefore in the recipe, I recommend preparing the mixture and then chill it.
• Remove the whipping cream from the fridge right when you are ready to whisk it.
• Remove the bowl from the freezer only when you are ready to churn. It starts to become warm and loose its freezing power as soon as it is removed from the fridge.
• If it is a hot summer day and your kitchen temperature gets high, choose to churn in early mornings. Because in such a scenario, there are good chances that the liquid inside the bowl will start to melt before fully churning the ice cream.

If making Rooh Afza ice cream without an ice cream maker

Once you have the Rooh Afza ice cream mixture ready, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and place it in the freezer. Remove from the refrigerator after an hour and using a strong fork try to whisk it. By whisking, I mean, rotate the fork in the ice cream as if you are using a whisk. The purpose is to break the ice crystals that are forming and incorporate air into the ice cream. Repeat this step every hour for 3 hours. This will prevent the formation of any hard ice crystals and give a smoother texture to the ice cream.

Ice cream Storage and serving related instructions

• Transfer the Rooh Afza ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Airtight Tupperware containers, glass containers, aluminum pans with lids, or any other freezer-safe container can be used. Avoid using any hard plastic container as it may get brittle and crack on freezing.
• Always seal the ice cream container with one or two layers of foil to prevent any ice crystals from forming inside, on the sides of the container.
• It keeps well for months.
• For creamy best-served scoops, thaw the ice cream for 5-15 minutes depending on the ambient temperatures, before serving. For a hot summer day in India, I would just thaw for 3-4 minutes or maybe less.

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5 from 6 votes

How to make Creamy and smooth Rooh Afza ice cream

Pleasantly flavored Rooh Afza ice cream will surely please you. This smooth and creamy, dreamy ice cream is my kiddo's absolute favorite.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword how to make rooh afza ice cream, Rooh Afza ice cream, Rooh Afza ice cream recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Chilling/ Freezing 9 hours hours

Total Time 9 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 188kcal

Author Meenakshi

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup Rooh Afza
• ½ cup Condensed milk
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1 cup Half and Half
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla essence
• 2 teaspoon Sugar

Instructions

• Freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker as per the manufacturer’s instructions way ahead of time. Preferably the day before making the ice cream.
• To a big jar add measured quantities of half n half, condensed milk, vanilla essence and Rooh Afza. Mix everything together using a whisk till homogenous mixture is obtained. Refrigerate the mixture for 6-7 hours or untill it is totally chilled.
• When ready to make the ice cream, into a bowl add chilled heavy whipping cream and sugar. Start whipping at low speed and gradually increases the speed. Whip until the soft peak stage.
• Now, fold in the chilled mixture of Rooh Afza , half and half, Condensed milk and vanilla essence. Fold to incorporate fully.
• Pour the mixture into the bowl of ice cream maker and churn as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
• When, ice cream starts to gets thick and reaches the soft-serve consistency, stop churning, and transfer into a freezer-safe container.
• Cover the container and freeze for 3-5 hours or until ready to consume.
• Thaw the ice cream for 5-15 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Notes

• For making it vegan, substitute heavy cream with an equal quantity of coconut cream and half n half with an equal quantity of plant-based milk.
• Use vegan sugar to sweeten the ice cream instead of condensed milk.
• If making without the ice cream maker, check details in the blog post.

Nutrition Facts