Faloodeh is a granita-style frozen dessert that is a Persian classic. It's flavored with rose and lime, and includes the texture of thin, vermicelli rice noodles. In this post I'll show you how to make a classic faloodeh, and how to turn them into popsicles!
In Iran, faloodeh is sold in ice cream shops along with bastani, or Persian ice cream, in flavors like pistachio, saffron, and rosewater. Faloodeh is a dairy-free frozen dessert more similar to sorbet than ice cream.
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Why this Recipe Works
There are a few tricks to getting this recipe just right: stirring the sugar into the water until dissolved so it doesn't burn, cooking the noodles properly so they don't harden while freezing, and stirring the mixture as it's freezing to prevent separation and a too-solid final result.
Angel hair vermicelli rice noodles are the perfect thickness and shortcut for faloodeh. The noodles add a wonderful texture to this dessert.
Rose and lime are a wonderful flavor combination. The lime balances the sugar wonderfully just as it would in limeade.
Freezing faloodeh into popsicles isn't something I grew up with, but enjoy very much on a hot day. It's a fun twist on a classic, favorite, frozen treat.
Stirring the faloodeh as it freezes prevents it from forming a solid ice rock that is difficult to break apart for serving.
Ingredients & Substitutions
rose water - you can find rose water in most grocery stores, but the price is usually better at a Middle-Eastern market. You can also find rose water online.
lime juice - fresh lime juice does taste better and different than bottled. If you can, use fresh lime juice for this recipe.
angel hair vermicelli noodles - you can find angel hair vermicelli noodles in the Asian isle of the grocery store. You can also find it online.
How to Make this Recipe
Here I will walk you through the important tricks in the recipe to help you get it right on your first try.
The Rose-Lime Simple Syrup
The base of this recipe is a rose-lime simple syrup. Stir 1.5 cups of sugar into 1 cup of water and the ¼ cup of rose water until dissolved so it doesn't burn. Let it come to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add ⅓ cup of lime juice. Let it cool to room temperature or in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
The Noodles
Break the noodles into ½-1" pieces. Cook them past the point of al-dente. (The packaging I use calls for 2-3 minutes and I cook them for 4.)
It is important to cook the noodles past the point that they are al-dente. You want the noodles cooked through so they do not harden when you freeze them. Do not use the soaking method for this recipe.
Note: Cooking the noodles properly is important so they don't harden during the freezing part of this recipe.
Once they are cooked, add them to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Then strain them, and add them to the simple syrup.
The Freezing Process
It is important to stir the mixture as it's freezing to prevent separation and a too-solid final result.
Freeze the mixture for 45 minutes at a time, stirring in-between until the noodles no longer set at the bottom of the container.
If not making popsicles, continue freezing for 45 minutes at a time until the mixture is solid.
Serve in bowls with lime wedges.
Popsicles
If making popsicles, transfer to your popsicle molds and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight.
FAQs
Faloodeh is closer to a sorbet than ice cream. It is dairy-free and made from a simple syrup base.
It is said to have originated in Shiraz, Iran in 400 B.C. Some say it is the first frozen dessert ever made. [source]
Faloodeh is made with starch or rice noodles. Using vermicelli rice noodles is very clo
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Faloodeh - Persian Rose & Lime Granita
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 cups sugar granulated, turbinado, or honey
- ¼ cup rose water
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice plus wedges for serving
- 3 ounces angel hair vermicelli rice noodles 1 cup when broken into pieces
Instructions
Rose-Lime Simple Syrup
- Stir 1.5 cups of sugar into 1 cup of water and the ¼ cup of rose water until dissolved so it doesn't burn. Let it come to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Let the simple syrup cool to room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to use.
The Noodles
- Create an ice bath for the noodles while you bring a pot of water to boil.
- Break the noodles into ½-1" pieces. Cook them past the point of al-dente. (The packaging I use calls for 2-3 minutes and I cook them for 4.)
- Strain the noodles and add them to the ice bath.
- Strain the noodles again and add them to the rose simple syrup.
Freezing
- Freeze the mixture for 45 minutes at a time, stirring in-between until the noodles no longer set at the bottom of the container.
- If not making popsicles, continue freezing for 45 minutes at a time until the mixture is solid.
- If making popsicles, transfer to your popsicle molds and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours.
To Serve
- Serve in bowls with lime wedges.
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