The Hirshon Indian Bread Pudding with Rose Petal Jam

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Everyone loves bread pudding – this is an established and unarguable fact. That said, there are many cultures that enjoy bread pudding and one of my all-time favorite versions is from northern India, called Shahi Tukda.

The Maharajas of old did everything over the top and since northern India uses a ton of butter and cream, it stands to reason their desserts would be exceptionally rich.

They even gilded their desserts with edible silver foil called Varq, believed to offer strong health benefits in the Ayurvedic Indian medical tradition. It has no flavor and is literally so thin it will blow away from just the force of your breath.

I’ve taken it to true Maharaja levels of excess by also adding edible gold foil as well as silver. If you think this is expensive – you’re wrong. You can buy 10 gold and 10 silver sheets on Amazon for all of $15. 🙂

I also added lavender flowers for taste, aroma and color as well as a few drops of pomegranate molasses (available at any middle eastern grocery store or Whole Foods) for color and some needed tartness to offset the unholy richness of the dish.

The final plate is a symphony of colors: silver, gold, green, red, yellow and purple and is insanely delicious. The aroma of lavender, roses and rare spices will transport you to the Indian subcontinent in the days of the Rajas in all their splendor!

Wow your guests and make this, my citizens!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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Milk (5 cups)
Rose gulkand (rose petal jam) (slightly less than ¼ cup)
Cardamom powder, freshly ground (½ tsp)
Saffron (few threads)
Sugar (1 ½ cups)
Ghee (Clarified Butter)(1 cup)
White Bread (8 slices)

FOR THE RABRI (Thick Sweet Milk Cream)

Milk (8 ½ cups)
Sugar (⅓ cup)
Cardamom powder, freshly ground (½ tsp)
Saffron (few threads)
Almonds, finely chopped in food processor
Pistachios, finely chopped in food processor
A few Lavender flowers
Silver Varq (Edible Silver Leaf, can be purchased here – (1 leaf) (optional but recommended)
Gold Varq (Edible Gold Leaf, can be purchased here – (1 leaf) (optional but recommended) – you can buy the gold and silver leaf for $15 on Amazon.
Pomegranate Molasses – a few drops

DIRECTIONS

METHOD
* Bring the milk to the boil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add green cardamom powder and saffron. Remove from heat, add sugar. Keep aside.
* Heat the ghee in a pan; fry the slices of bread lightly. Remove from flame, drain the excess oil. Soak the fried bread in the milk mixture for 10 minutes.
* For the rabri, heat the milk and cook till it is reduced to 1/3rd. Add sugar, green cardamom powder, and saffron to the milk and stir. Remove the pan from heat and keep aside to cool.
* Carefully lift the slices of bread from the milk and arrange the rose gulkand with the help of spoon, place on a serving platter.
* Pour the rabri on top and garnish with almonds, pistachios, a few drops of pomegranate molasses, silver and gold foil (if using) and lavender.
* Serve at room temperature.