Lebanese Milk Ice Cream (Booza bil Ashta)
Description
Indulgently thick, stretchy, and deeply aromatic, this authentic Lebanese milk ice cream (Booza bil Ashta) brings the iconic flavors of Beirut straight to your home. Crafted without eggs, this traditional recipe relies on the magical combination of wild orchid powder (sahlab) and pure mastic resin to achieve its signature chewy texture. Cloaked in a generous layer of vibrant, crushed pistachios, each scoop delivers a perfect balance of floral notes and luxurious creaminess that you will crave all year round—even in the dead of winter.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw pistachios crushed
- 1½ cups whole milk powder
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon salep If you cannot find authentic Turkish salep, instant salep available online will also work, though the texture will be slightly less elastic.
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- 4 large mastic crystals
Instructions
- Grind the mastic crystals with a pinch of sugar using a mortar and pestle.
- Place the whole milk powder, water, sugar, heavy cream, crushed mastic, cornstarch, and salep powder in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Whisk continuously over medium heat until the mixture comes to a gentle boil and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat, add the rose water, stir well, and set aside to cool.
- Place a piece of wax paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, about 30 minutes. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for another 2–3 hours, or until firm.
- Just before serving, sprinkle crushed pistachios over each ramekin. Enjoy!
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