Chef notes
This was one of my mom's favorite desserts as a kid growing up in India. Think of shahi toast as the ultimate bread pudding. It is creamy, dreamy and infused with cardamom, which tastes citrusy, sweet and floral. This isn't my mom's shortcut version; this recipe originally appeared in my cookbook "Indian-ish," and I'm sharing it here with some upgrades (hint: butter). It is amazing how luxurious this tastes considering how easy it is to make — my favorite kind of dessert!
Technique tip: Use whole cardamom pods for this! It will give you a much better flavor.
Swap option: If you're vegan, you can use nondairy milk in lieu of the dairy milk.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 slices white bread, crusts removed, each slice cut into 4 squares
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped pistachios, for garnish
Preparation
1.Coat the bottom of a medium pot or small Dutch oven with 2 tablespoons water (this will prevent the cream from sticking when you heat it up) and then add the cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the cream is warmed through, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar, cardamom and salt, making sure the sugar dissolves completely. Set aside.
2.Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, turn the heat down to medium-low, add the bread and cook until the bottom is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip carefully using tongs and cook until the other side is also golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes more.
3.Arrange the pieces of bread in a single layer, like a patchwork quilt, in a 9-inch square baking dish. Give the cardamom cream a stir to fully incorporate the sugar and cardamom, then pour it over the bread, making sure each piece of bread is fully soaked with the cream mixture.
4.Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for up to 12 hours. Just before serving, garnish with the pistachios.
