Turkish ice-cream (dondurma)

This ice cream needs to be made a day ahead to ensure it’s frozen and ready to go. Mastic is a resinous sap from the mastic tree, which is native to Greece. Salep is a flour made from the tubers of orchids.

Pistachios share the same natural pigment as peas and celery. Credit: Anson Smart

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 3 g mastic beads (see note)
• 65 g (⅓ cup) salep mixture (see note)
• 750 ml (3 cups) milk 
• 250 ml (1 cup) pouring cream 
• 165 g (¾ cup) caster sugar 
• ground cinnamon and finely chopped pistachios, to serve

Makes 1 litre

Drink match Peter Rumball Sparkling Shiraz ($20) or Grant Burge Sparkling Red ($24)

You will need to begin this recipe 1 day ahead.

Instructions

Freeze mastic beads for 15 minutes, then using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, finely grind with a pinch of sugar.

Whisk salep mixture with 125 ml (½ cup) milk until dissolved. Set aside.

Heat remaining 625 ml (2½ cups) milk and cream in a large saucepan over low–medium heat. Whisk in mastic until combined, then add salep mixture. Using a ladle, scoop some of the cream mixture, then from a height, pour back into the pan in a continuous motion; this 'stretches’ the mixture. Repeat, stirring constantly, to prevent the mixture burning, for 20 minutes or until thickened. (If you prefer a denser, chewier ice-cream, cook for an additional 20 minutes). Transfer to a bowl, cover the surface closely with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming and cool completely.

Churn mixture in an ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions until almost frozen.

Meanwhile, lightly grease a 1 litre loaf pan, then line with plastic wrap, leaving 5 cm overhanging. Pour mixture into pan, cover with overhanging wrap and freeze overnight.

To serve, remove ice-cream from freezer 5 minutes beforehand. Turn out onto a board and, working quickly, cut into 3 cm slices and divide among plates. Dust with cinnamon and scatter with pistachios to serve.

Note
• Mastic is the resinous sap from the mastic tree, which is native to Greece. It is available from selected delis and specialist spice shops. 

• Salep mixture is from selected delis.

Photography by Anson Smart.

As seen in Feast magazine, Sept 2011, Issue 1.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.