Easy Bombay Ice Halwa Recipe

Ice halwa, also known as Bombay Ice Halwa, Mahim Halwa, and Paper Halwa. This is one of the most unique Indian sweets in terms of texture and shape. It’s paper-thin sheets of sugar, flour, saffron, cardamom powder, milk, and ghee topped with some nuts for crunch.
Here’s a quick video on how to make it:
This mithai brings back memories for me as every time my family members went to India and stopped by Mumbai they would bring back some from the mithai shops or sweet shops. It’s a specialty of Mumbai which is why it is often known as Bombay Ice Halwa. The ice halwa from Mohanlal mithaiwala shop is particularly well known.
It is a sweet that is popular with kids because of its unique shape and eating experience. You peel back parchment paper from the halwa and eat it.
Ingredients
If you cook Indian food and sweets often, this Bombay ice halwa recipe only requires some basic ingredients.

Flour – I like using all-purpose flour. You can substitute corn flour (not corn starch) or rava (sooji).
Saffron strands – add a light yellow color and taste of saffron
Cardamom powder – Usually sprinkled on top. If you have a fine powder you can add it to the mixture as well.
Dry fruits – Adding these like crunchy nuts adds a nice texture to the sweet.
Rose water – to make a variation you can add rose water, I didn’t as it’s not used in a traditional recipe
How to make
This is a simple recipe. The key thing to remember is to keep the gas between low and medium and to keep stirring. You will have to stir for about 15 minutes. If you don’t you risk the mixture sticking to the pan or overcooking the sugar.
Preparation
- Melt ghee
- In two tablespoons of milk crush saffron strands and let sit a few minutes to bloom
Making Halwa
First place pan on stove on low-medium heat. Add flour to the pan then add milk, melted ghee and saffron milk. Whisk to combine and ensure it is lump free.
Then add in sugar and whisk to combine.




Next, keep stirring. It will take about 15-16 minutes on low-medium flame. Don’t try to speed it up by increasing the heat, you may overcook the mixture.
As you stir you will notice the mixture begin to thicken. At first, the mixture will come back together quickly as you run the spatula through it. As you get to the right point you will notice the mixture easily come off the pan and take longer to cover up the areas you just stirred through. See images below.


Then, on a 26X13 inches parchment paper or butter paper, turn the mixture out. Spread it with a silicon spatula.


Place another parchment paper on top of the ice halwa mixture. Roll out the mixture to make it smooth and spread out to the ends.


Sprinkle cardamom powder, pistachios and rose petals on top. Cover with the same parchment paper and lightly roll all over with a rolling pin to help the toppings stick.


Cutting and Drying Ice Halwa
Let halwa sit 2-3 hours. Then use a pizza cutter or knife to draw lines/cut marks for the pieces. Then, use clean kitchen scissors to cut out the pieces along with the parchment paper. The parchment paper will be always stuck to the bottom until you eat it.


Let it dry for at least one day. Depending on where you live and the climate, it may take less or more time. You can slightly peel the parchment and try one to check. I like to cover with a cheesecloth and leave on the countertop. Another option is to place it in the oven uncovered (don’t turn on the oven) and let it set to dry in there.



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Easy Bombay Ice Halwa Recipe
Equipment
- 1 wide bottom pan I use non-stick
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 2 sheets parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar 200g
- ½ cup all purpose flour substitute rava or corn flour, 60g
- ½ cup ghee 110g
- ½ cup milk 125g
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- 2 tbsp pistachios finely crushed or chopped
- rose petals
- 2 tbsp milk for saffron
- 1 pinch saffron generous pinch for more flavor
Instructions
Prep
- In two tablespoons of milk crush saffron strands and let sit a few minutes to bloom
- Melt ghee
Make Ice Halwa
- First place pan on stove on low-medium heat. Add flour to the pan then add milk, melted ghee and saffron milk. Whisk to combine and ensure it is lump free. Then add in sugar and whisk to combine.
- Next, keep stirring. It will take about 15-16 minutes on low-medium flame. Don't try to speed it up by increasing the heat, you may overcook the mixture.
- As you stir you will notice the mixture begin to thicken. At first, the mixture will come back together quickly as you run the spatula through it. As you get to the right point you will notice the mixture easily come off the pan and take longer to cover up the areas you just stirred through.
- Then, on a 26X13 inches parchment paper or butter paper,turn the mixture out. Spread it with a silicon spatula.
- Place another parchment paper on top of the ice halwa mixture. Roll out the mixture to make it smooth and spread out to the ends.
- Sprinkle cardamom powder, pistachios and rose petals on top.Cover with the same parchment paper and lightly roll all over with a rolling pin to help the toppings stick.
Cutting and Drying
- Let halwa sit 2-3 hours. Then use a pizza cutter or knife to draw lines/cut marks for the pieces. Then, use clean kitchen scissors to cutout the pieces along with the parchment paper. The parchment paper will be always stuck to the bottom until you eat it.
- Let it dry for at least one day. Depending on where you live and the climate, it may take less or more time. You can slightly peel the parchment and try one to check. I like to cover with a cheesecloth and leave on the countertop. Another option is to place it in the oven uncovered (don't turn on the oven) and let it set to dry in there.