Bringing the Middle East home

Booza bil Ishta

Arabic Ice cream Recipe- (Booza Ishta)

Ingredients

4 cups milk (warm not boiled)

1/2 container of Gaimar/(media cream)

1/2 cup sugar 

7 tablespoons Sahlab powder (I used Ziyad brand)

½ teaspoon Mistika, finally grounded

½ teaspoon coarse sea salt cup (prevents freezer burn)

Crushed pistachios for filling and coating (amount is personal preference)

Directions

Add milk to a pot and warm on medium heat. Do not boil the milk.

Once warm lower the heat and add sugar, gaimar, sahlab, and the sea salt.

Continue to stir the mixture until it begins to thicken. The mixture should be thick enough in consistency to coat the back of the utensil used to stir. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Continue mixing at low heat for about 15 minutes. 

Turn the heat off once thickened, add the crushed pistachios and give it a stir to mix them in.

Pour the mixture into a 1/4-size pan  lined with aluminum foil.

Allow the ice cream mixture to come to room temperature and completely cool prior to freezing. (This is required in order for the mixture to remain smooth and maintain the right consistency)

Once the ice cream cools down, put the pan in the freezer for six hours or overnight. 

Line a flat surface with plastic wrap and sprinkle crushed pistachios on it. 

Remove the pan from the freezer and flip the ice cream onto the plastic wrap. 

Let the ice cream sit for 5-7 mins to warm up and make it more flexible and then slowly roll the ice cream into a cylinder, wrap and return to the freezer for another hour or until ready to serve.  

Remove from the freezer, slice, serve and enjoy!