At the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan comes a three-day holiday called Eid al-Fitr, which means “The Festival of Fast-Breaking”.  People greet each other by saying Eid Mubarak (“Blessed Festival”), and during this time charity is given to needy families, gifts are given to children, and people get dressed up and visit family and friends.  As you can imagine, food of every kind (but especially sweets) is abundant.

The first time I enjoyed this ice cream (which is called Éma’a) was at Bakdash Ice Cream parlor where it originated; Bakdash is in the Souk Al Hamidiyah in Damascus, Syria.  I recently had a craving for it and since Mike and I aren’t planning a trip back to Syria for a while, I knew I would have to come up with a recipe myself.  And what better time to make it than for the Eid?

Bakdash Ice Cream Parlor, Souk Al Hamidiya, Damascus, Syria (Image Source)

My very sweet mother-in-law told me the main ingredients in Éma’a, which are fairly well-known:  milk, Chios gum mastic, sugar, sahlab, and rose water (plus of course the pistachio coating!).  There are two ingredients that are somewhat uncommon – Chios gum mastic and sahlab – but both are available in Middle Eastern markets.

Chios gum mastic is a really interesting ingredient.  It comes in little yellow crystals (the medium-sized tears are about 1/2 cm wide by 1 cm tall) called tears, and has the look and feel of beach glass.  It has a strong perfume-y smell…I actually think it smells just like Tide laundry detergent.

Tears of Chios Gum Mastic

Here is what it says about mastic on the back of the tin:  “[Mastic is] a unique product with many beneficial qualities and wide-ranging uses since antiquity.  Nowadays, it is used in pharmaceuticals, perfumes, cosmetics, beverages, baking goods, sweets, as well as in cooking.  Mastiha is the natural resin of pistacia lentiscus variety Chia, a tree which grows only on the Aegean island of Chios, Greece.  Scientific research shows that Chios Mastiha has anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and healing activity.  It contributes to a healthy gastrointestional system and has beneficial effects for both oral hygiene and skin care.”  (You can read more about Chios gum mastic or buy it online here.) 

Tin of Chios Gum Mastic

Sahlab is a mixture of cornstarch, sugar, and sahlab (roots of orchids mascula).  If you can’t find sahlab you can substitute an equal part of cornstarch plus a couple drops of orange blossom water.

Sahlab

After we bought these ingredients, the hardest part was figuring out the proportions of each.  After some trial and error I came up with a recipe that Mike and I both feel is a pretty close replication of the original.  I use 9 parts whole milk and 1 part heavy cream, but feel free to use all whole milk if you prefer.

Syrian Ice Cream (Éma’a)

(Yield:  About 10 cups)

9 c plus 1/4 c whole milk, divided

1 c heavy cream

4 medium pieces (about 1/4 tsp) Chios gum mastic

2 1/2 c sugar

5 tsp sahlab

3/4 tsp rose water

Chopped pistachios (for serving)

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 c milk with the sahlab; set aside. 

Grind the mastic into a powder; the best way to do this is to put the mastic between 2 pieces of parchment paper or inside a plastic bag and pound it with a heavy object, such as a rolling pin. 

In a medium-large pot over medium heat, combine 9 c milk, the cream, and the mastic; bring to a boil (stirring frequently).  Slowly whisk in the sugar and bring back up to a boil, stirring constantly.  Whisk in the sahlab mixture and boil vigorously 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the rose water.  Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until well chilled (about 4 hours).

Transfer the chilled mixture to an ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer’s directions.  Once processed, put the ice cream in a freezer-safe bowl and transfer to the freezer to set.  Scoop out the ice cream and roll generously in chopped pistachios before serving.