#163 Big Birthday Bash with Nutty Caramel Frozen Kulfi Cake

The SCREAM TEAM---I scream, you scream, we all scream!!! What are we screaming for? Ice-Cream. I'm so happy that you've stopped by to help me celebrate this amazing milestone!!
It's my Blog's first Birthday today. One year ago, in the suburbs of  Virginia I started Malli's M&Ms. It was right after I celebrated my ----------th Birthday too. LOL! Yes, it has been an entire year since I got to know my foodie readers and connected with so many of you. 


Here's to one year of making good friends!!

 These are a few photos from the Birthday dinner with my family at the Il Fornaio Cucina Italiana. An Italian restaurant and an old favorite of mine. What makes this place so special is that the pastas and sauces are made from scratch and taste divine!!



Here's to growing old!!



My genuine passion culminated in the birth of my website M's M&Ms, and through this media, I've made so many good friends. Malli's M&Ms gave me the opportunity to reach out to many excellent cooks who share the same passion. I am honored to have met such wonderful people this year and learnt so much from them.. 

A celebration of friendship and sharing would never be the same with a savory dish so I am going luxurious with an ice-cream cake and that too totally Indian. I'm not sure if I should call it a Kulfi Cake or an Ice-cream cake? I read about a similar recipe on the Taste of Home and customized it to my taste. Anyhow, the dessert comes alive with a Whole wheat cookie and elaichi crumb base,  layered with mango ice cream and Malai Kulfi.  The frozen cake then gets topped with whipped cream and a phenomenal toffee almond crunch made from scratch. An exquisite treat that is utterly beautiful to look at and terrific for your taste buds to enjoy!!

Kulfi... kulfi is basically cream and condensed  milk, boiled, thickened and frozen to the consistency of soft serve with flavors like Malai, saffron or pistachio. It is mind blowingly delicious and I will share that recipe some other time!!  Come on...it is not a small celebration today with the layers in this beauty so I've used store bought ice creams to make it easier. I can almost see those raised eyebrows...Indian ice cream cake?

Ingredients:
2 Cups crushed Whole Wheat Indian Cookies or simple Nankatai
add a pinch of powdered elaichi(cardamom)
(can be replaced with vanilla Shortbread cookies)
1 quart Mango Ice cream
(or Strawberry ice cream)
1 Quart Malai Kulfi
(or Chocolate ice cream)
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 carton frozen whipped topping(cream)
1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup water for caramel
1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup caramel sundae syrup

Directions
1. In a large bowl combine the cookie crumbs, elaichi and butter. Press 1 cup onto the bottom of a greased glass dish that is flat bottomed.
You could also use a 9 inch springform pan. Spoon the mango ice-cream into the pan smoothen the surface with a spatula.
2. Freeze this for an hour until firm.
3. Meanwhile melt the sugar, brown sugar with a little water to make a light brown caramel. Drop in the slivered almonds and toss well.
Spread onto a greased sheet or foil so that it does not form a lump. Cool. Crush lightly without powdering the almonds.
4. Remove the pre-prepared frozen layer in the pan from the freezer.
5. Repeat layers with remaining cookie crumbs and pour the lightly softened Malai Kulfi onto it. Spread evenly.
6. Spread with whipped topping. Sprinkle with the toffee almond that you caramelized and has cooled completely by now.
7. Cover with saran wrap and freeze overnight or until firm.
8. To use the frozen cake- Remove from the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving and drizzle with
caramel syrup.