Indian Bread Pudding with Cardamom and Saffron
Indulge in a luscious Indian Bread Pudding showcasing cardamom and saffron-infused flavors. A modern and much easier take on the traditional shaahi tukda or double ka meetha, this recipe is an exquisite finale to any delightful meal!
Servings: 12
Calories: 422kcal
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter plus extra for greasing
- ½ loaf brioche bread cubed About 6 cups, See notes
- 1 ½ c milk
- 2 c heavy cream
- 1 c sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 generous pinch saffron
- 1 cup almonds measured and then chopped
- ¼ cup raisins Use up to ½ cup if you like
- ¼ cup powdered sugar separated, 1 tablespoon for dusting and rest for the glaze.
- 2 tablespoon milk or cream
Instructions
- Plan ahead: Take out the butter and eggs out of the refrigerator so that they are at room temperature.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) with a rack placed in the middle. Grease a 9 X 13 inch baking pan/dish with butter.
- Cut or tear your brioche bread into roughly 1 inch cubes. Warm the milk and butter together and add saffron and cardamom powder to it.
- In a separate large measuring cup, whisk together heavy cream, eggs, and sugar. Mix the two liquids (milk and heavy cream mixtures).
- Add the chopped almonds and raisins to the cubed bread.
- Pour the custard (your mix of milk, butter, cardamom, saffron, heavy cream, sugar, and eggs) over the dish and gently press to ensure thorough soaking of the bread. Allow it to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, put the baking dish in a cookie sheet with high edges or a roasting pan. Pour approximately 1 inch of the hot water into the cookie sheet, taking care that the water does not get into the baking sheet.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, creating a tented cover to prevent direct contact with the pudding. Poke a few holes to let the steam out.
- Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and continue baking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the custard sets and a knife inserted into the center emerges clean.
- While the pudding is baking, make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and milk/cream together.
- Take the pudding out of the oven, sprinkle a layer of confectioners' sugar over the dish and drizzle with the glaze.
- Serve this Indian Bread Pudding warm, generously drizzled with more glaze or with ice cream.
Notes
Bread: Brioche bread or rolls (I used 7 dinner rolls) is by far my most recommended bread for this recipe. Though I have not tried this Indian bread pudding with croissants but croissants will be a good option as well. You could also use a loaf of french bread if you cannot find brioche.
Let the bread soak: This step should not be rushed. You want to give the bread enough time to soak and suck in most of the custard. This is what will result in uniformly moist bread pudding. The more hearty the bread used, the longer you should soak it in the custard.
Baking the bread pudding: The steam generated from the water in the roasting pan/cookie sheet provides a more even and controlled heat transfer, promoting a smooth and creamy texture in the bread pudding. The water bath also helps to prevent turning the eggs in the custard to scrambled eggs due to the proteins coagulating too quickly and ultimately helps in a more tender and velvety texture. The foil prevents excessive browning.
Nutrition
Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 140mg | Potassium: 223mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 954IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 1mg
