Discover the taste of royalty with Shahi Tukda. This sweet and decadent Indian Bread Pudding is made with baked bread, homemade Rabdi, and a variety of nuts. No sugar syrup or condensed milk is needed! It's a quick and easy baked dessert recipe that can be made in 45 minutes and is a crowd favorite! Try this eggless festive delight this holiday season!
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What is Shahi Tukda
Shahi Tukda, also known as Shahi Tukra, Shahi Tukday, or Shahi Tukray, is a luxurious and royal Mughlai dessert made with humble bread. "Shahi" translates to royal, while "Tukda" means a piece, reflecting the dessert's regal origins.
In this traditional Indian festive recipe, bread slices are fried to golden perfection in ghee and soaked in fragrant sugar syrup. These soaked bread pieces are then layered with rich, sweetened, and thickened milk known as Rabdi or Rabri. Shahi Toast is garnished with an assortment of nuts, saffron strands, and sometimes rose petals, enhancing its flavor and visual appeal.
Served hot or cold, Shahi Tukray is an indulgent dessert that captures the essence of royal Indian cuisine, making it perfect for celebratory occasions like Eid, Diwali, or weddings.
Origin of Shahi Tukday
Shahi Tukda is a decadent dessert that originated in the royal kitchens of India, believed to have been created during the Mughal Empire for the Mughal courts. This indulgent treat is also popular in Pakistan, where it is similarly enjoyed as a festive sweet.
Shahi Tukda vs. Double ka Meetha
Shahi Tukka, a North Indian dessert, involves frying bread in ghee, soaking it in sweetened milk, and layering it with nuts and saffron for a rich, indulgent flavor.
In contrast, Double ka Meetha is a South Indian (Hyderabadi) dessert made by soaking non-fried bread cubes in sugar syrup, then topping them with condensed milk and cream before baking, which gives the bread a fluffier texture. Both desserts share similarities in ingredients, taste, and presentation, but differ in preparation techniques.
Why Bake Shahi Tukda
My Shahi Tukda dessert recipe combines elements of both Shahi Tukray and Double ka Meetha by baking the bread instead of frying it. This method reduces calories, as the bread isn't fried in ghee or soaked in sugar syrup. It also saves on cooking time. Baking gives the Indian Bread Pudding a deliciously crisp edge while maintaining a rich, gooey center, ensuring the indulgent flavor remains intact.
Why Make This
- A rich and festive Indian dessert
- Eggless and perfect for celebrations
- Quick and easy to prepare
- Baked, not fried, for a healthier twist
- Made without condensed milk, khoya, or sugar syrup
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Bread: Traditionally, soft white bread slices are used, cut into triangles or squares. For a different look, I used baguette slices, which worked great! Any bread-white, brown, multigrain, brioche, Hawaiian sweet rolls, or Indian pav-can be used.
Heavy Cream or Full-Fat Milk: To make a rich and creamy Rabdi, use heavy whipping cream or full-fat whole milk. Evaporated milk is a good alternative as well.
Sweetener: I used regular white sugar, but you can choose any sweetener. Condensed milk, Mithaimate, or Milkmaid work well as substitutes.
Spices: Cardamom powder (or green cardamom pods), ground nutmeg, saffron, and cloves add authentic flavors to this Indian bread pudding.
Nuts: Garnish with chopped or slivered almonds, cashews, and pistachios for a crunchy, nutty texture. You can also add raisins for extra sweetness.
Rose Water: Adds a delicate floral aroma and balances the sweetness of Shahi Toast. Kewra essence is a good alternative.
Ghee: Essential for making Nawabi Shahi Tukda! The bread is fried, baked, or air-fried in ghee, and it's also used in the Rabri for added richness.
How To Make It 🔪
To Make the Rabdi
- Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pot to coat the bottom, which prevents the milk from scorching. Add heavy cream or full-fat milk and warm it for 5-6 minutes.
- Once warm, add saffron, ground nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom powder. Keep the flame on low-medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring continuously with a whisk to prevent burning, while scraping the sides. Cook until the milk reduces and thickens, about 20 minutes.
- Add sugar and whisk for another 2-3 minutes before giving it a final boil.
- Stir in the chopped nuts and rose water, then remove from heat. Let the saffron-infused Rabdi cool to room temperature-no need to refrigerate.
To Roast the Bread
- Cut the bread into thick slices-rounds, squares, or triangles-and leave the crust on. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking tray with ghee and place the bread slices on it, brushing both sides with ghee.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. For a deeper color, bake a little longer. Sprinkle sugar over the hot bread as soon as it comes out of the oven for a light sweetness.
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To Assemble the Shahi Tukda
- Pour a ladleful of Rabdi into a baking dish, ideally, the one you'll use for serving.
- Arrange the toasted bread in a single layer on top of the Rabdi, minimizing any gaps.
- Pour the remaining Rabdi over the bread, ensuring all slices are well-soaked. Reserve any leftover Rabdi for later use.
- Garnish with chopped mixed nuts and bake in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Garnish with edible rose petals (if using), and additional chopped nuts. You can also add tutti frutti, silver vark, or fried raisins for extra flair. Baked Shahi Tukda can be enjoyed immediately after baking or served cold.
This rich Shahi Tukda dessert is a staple for Iftar, Ramadan, and Eid celebrations, and is also perfect for Diwali, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Raksha Bandhan, and other festivals or special occasions. Shahi ka Tukda is a crowd-pleaser for parties, dinners, birthdays, date nights, brunches, and potlucks. Save this Shahi Tukra recipe!
Another fun way to Serve
Here's another way of plating Shahi Tukda with Rabdi. Cut the bread slices into rounds and toast them in ghee. Top with prepared or leftover Gajar Halwa, then pour some Rabdi over it. Garnish with silver vark, chopped nuts, and saffron. Serve this Shahi Gajar Halwa at your next party for a delightful twist!
More Recipes to Try
If you love trying exotic dishes, then check out these recipes from the royal kitchens of India - Sultani Dal, Shahjahani Dal, Shahi Tendli, and Mohabbat Ka Sharbat. Some recipes from the Hyderabadi cuisine that you can try are Burani Raita and Mirchi Ka Salan.
💭 Priya's Recipe Tips
Slice the bread thickly (like Texas Toast) to prevent it from breaking easily. Avoid overbaking the bread slices to prevent them from becoming too hard or burnt. For an alternative to bread slices, try using Rusk, similar to what's used in Ras Malai Cake. You can substitute cardamom with vanilla extract or cinnamon powder for a different flavor twist. When making Rabdi, add ricotta cheese to make it a creamier texture. Instead of making Rabdi from scratch, you can use store-bought Rabri Mix or Custard.
FAQs 📖
Fresh or leftover soft bread is ideal for making sweet Shahi Tukda. Traditionally, white bread slices are used, cut into triangles or squares, and they offer the best taste for this dessert. However, for a unique twist, you can use baguettes sliced into rounds, as I did, which turned out great. Other suitable options include white, brown, or multigrain bread, as well as brioche, Hawaiian sweet rolls, or Indian pav. For a gluten-free version, simply use gluten-free bread.
Toast the bread in a pan or air fryer. Assemble the Shahi Tukda in a heavy-bottomed pan, cover, and cook on low flame for 5-8 minutes until the bread absorbs the milk. Alternatively, arrange the assembled Shahi Tukda in an air fryer and cook at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Use vegan-friendly bread slices and smear them with vegan ghee before baking as directed. For the vegan Rabdi, follow a Vermicelli Kheer or Basundi recipe, omitting the vermicelli. Use this vegan Rabdi to assemble your Shahi Tukda.
Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days. The bread may dry out as it absorbs the Rabdi, so when serving, add some leftover Rabdi and reheat it in the microwave. Sweet Shahi Tukda often tastes even better the next day, with a deliciously soft, chewy texture.
If preparing ahead, store the Rabdi separately in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. On the day of serving, toast the bread, then assemble and bake as needed. Leftover bread can be used to make Garlic Bread!
More Holiday Dessert Recipes
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Recipe 📖
Shahi Tukda | Shahi Tukday | Shahi Tukra
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
To Make the Rabdi
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 4 cups heavy cream or full-fat milk
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 cloves
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon saffron
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 2 tablespoon cashews
- 2 tablespoon almonds
- 2 tablespoon pistachios
To Assemble the Shahi Tukda
- 1 tablespoon cashews
- 1 tablespoon almonds
- 1 tablespoon pistachios
Instructions
To Make the Rabdi
- Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pot to coat the bottom, which prevents the milk from scorching. Add heavy cream or full-fat milk and warm it for 5-6 minutes.
- Once warm, add saffron, ground nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom powder. Keep the flame on low-medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring continuously with a whisk to prevent burning, while scraping the sides. Cook until the milk reduces and thickens, about 20 minutes.
- Add sugar and whisk for another 2-3 minutes before giving it a final boil.
- Stir in the chopped nuts and rose water, then remove from heat. Let the saffron-infused Rabdi cool to room temperature-no need to refrigerate.
To Roast the Bread
- Cut the bread into thick slices-rounds, squares, or triangles-and leave the crust on. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking tray with ghee and place the bread slices on it, brushing both sides with ghee.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden. For a deeper color, bake a little longer. Sprinkle sugar over the hot bread as soon as it comes out of the oven for a light sweetness.
To Assemble the Shahi Tukda
- Pour a ladleful of Rabdi into a baking dish, ideally, the one you'll use for serving.
- Arrange the toasted bread in a single layer on top of the Rabdi, minimizing any gaps.
- Pour the remaining Rabdi over the bread, ensuring all slices are well-soaked. Reserve any leftover Rabdi for later use.
- Garnish with chopped mixed nuts and bake in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes.
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