Peach Malai (Cream) Sandwich with Kulfi on the side

I have been exposed to so many different kinds of fruits after coming to the US, and this gave me ample opportunities as a chef to try new combinations and variations using these fruits. From delicious berries to juicy nectarines and peaches, it has been a long journey, and I'm just halfway trying out all the options out there! So as peaches seem to be moving out of the Farmer's Markets, I decided to try something fancy with them before they ran out of season. I paired it with bread and cream to make a beautiful yet simple Sandwich with Peach and Mixed-Fruit filling and served it with the Peach Kulfi to make this complete dessert dish that you see!!

This is my contribution to the AFAM-Peach Event (click on the logo on the side) that we are hosting on this blog this month. You have 2 more days to meet the deadline. So get cooking and send in your lovely peach entries if you haven't already!!

Ingredients

Malai Sandwich
12 slices of regular white bread
1/4th cup almond slices
1/4th cup pistachio slices
6 tbsp shredded coconut
1 small can of condensed milk (Nestle, sweetened)
1/2 cup regular plain milk
6-7 strands of saffron
1 tsp cardamom powder
A round cookie cutter or katori

Peach and Mix-Fruit Filling
1 whole peach - diced
4-5 strawberries - diced
8-10 pineapple chunks
sugar - to taste
6-7 tbsp water - to make fruit puree

Peach Kulfi
6-8 slices of canned peach - remove from syrup and wash under running water
6 tbsp condensed milk (from the same can as above)
a small serving of chopped almonds and pistachios (again take this from those above)
1 cup fresh cream
small roll of aluminium foil

Method

For the Sandwich, first cut the bread slices with the cookie cutter or a round katori to form 12 circles. In a bowl, mix 1/2 can of condensed milk, plain milk, and cardamom powder. Take a pan, add 1 tbsp butter, and roast the almonds, pistachios and shredded coconut till they attain a light golden color. In a small bowl, take 2 tsp water, warm it for 10 seconds, then add the saffron strands to it and let stand for 5-8 mins. This will extract the orange color from saffron. You can rub it with your fingers a little more to get a stronger color. Now add the roasted nuts and saffron water to the milk mixture. Leave half of the nuts-coconut mixture aside for the peach kulfi and the final garnish.

Layer all the bread slices on a glass tray, pour 4 tbsp of the condensed milk mixture on each slice. Now freeze this tray till it is time to serve.

For the Mix-Fruit filling, blend the diced, peaches, pineapples and strawberries with sugar and water to form a thick jam-like puree. Then store and refrigerate.

And now for the Peach Kulfi. Take the fresh cream in a bowl and whip it for 2-3 mins, Then add 4 tbsp condensed milk to it. Add the remaining almond-pistachio-coconut mixture (reserving some for garnish) and fold in the small peach cubes into the mixture. Mix well to blend, but do not beat a lot. Now take a small cake pan (or any other kulfi mould that you like) and layer the kulfi mixture into it. Cover with aluminium foil and set to freeze. Remove after 2 hours, let it thaw, and then churn it again in a blender for 1 min. This makes the kulfi more creamier, and set to freeze again.

When it is time to serve, take one slice of bread, top it with the mix-fruit filling, then layer another slice of bread on top of it to form the sandwich. Repeat for all 6 sandwiches. Garnish the top with remaining jam puree and roasted nuts. Remove the kulfi from the freezer. Cut into desired sized pieces and serve in a plate with the Peach-jam filled Malai Sandwiches. Indulge into a fruity Peach delight! This is a perfect dessert for parties, and will surely be a hit with kids!!

Tip:This recipe can have a lot of variations; just substitute the peach with a fruits of your choice. You can even get creative and add melted chocolate to the condensed milk micture to form chocolate sandwiches! Just let your imagination run wild, and enjoy!!