Strawberry Shahi Tukda — rich and velvety, this pink dessert features in-season strawberries and a rose rabdi that is so perfect for Valentine’s Day! Made with no frying and a super quick rabdi, this is decadent and indulgent, with notes of saffron and cardamom, without any of the guilt!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY SHAHI TUKDA:
We’ll start by making a fresh strawberry jam by caramelizing some strawberries with sugar. Finish this some salt and you should get a beautiful jammy consistency.
Then, we’ll heat milk, cream, and sugar and let this come to a simmer on medium heat. I added a cornstarch slurry to get the lovely silky texture but without having to boil the milk which makes this lighter and quicker to make! Finish with some kesar, elaichi, and rose syrup for this light fuchsia color.
For the bread, I cut them into hearts so they’re perfect for Valentine’s Day. Then, brush them with ghee or butter on both sides and you can bake or airfry for a golden brown color without frying!
To serve, I rimmed these serving glasses with some gold sprinkles and added a layer of our rose rabdi on the bottom. Add a layer of bread, some fresh strawberry jam, and another layer of bread. Pour over your warm rabdi and it’s time to garnish with fresh strawberries, nuts, and kesar water.
If you like this, please try my other recipes:
Strawberry Shahi Tukda — rich and velvety, this pink dessert features in-season strawberries and a rose rabdi that is so perfect for Valentine’s Day! Made with no frying and a super quick rabdi, this is decadent and indulgent, with notes of saffron and cardamom, without any of the guilt!
- 10 strawberries , finely diced
- 2 tbsp sugar , I used cane sugar
- pinch salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch , mixed with 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp saffron
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 2 tbsp red rose syrup
- 16 slices bread , cut into your desired shapes
- ghee , for brushing
- strawberries , finely chopped
- pistachio , slivered
- almonds , slivered
- golden sprinkles
- saffron water
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For the strawberry jam, add strawberries and sugar to a pan. Let cook on medium heat until the strawberries release their water and the mixture thickens. This should take about 7-8 minutes. We don't want to lose the bite and color of the strawberries by making them too mushy so don’t overcook this.
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Finish with a pinch of salt and take off the heat.
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Cover with cling wrap, making sure to press down so it’s touching the surface of the jam, and let cool.
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For the rabdi, in a pan add milk, cream, and sugar. Let this simmer for 7-8 minutes on medium-low heat.
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Then, mix your cornstarch with milk to form a slurry. Add this to the cream mixture and mix vigorously to ensure no lumps form. I added this to get the texture silkier and thicker without having to cook the milk for too long. This helps it remain lighter and is quicker to make.
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Bring this mixture to a boil and stir for 2-3 minutes. Then, add in your cardamom, saffron, and rose syrup that will help achieve that beautiful peachy pink color. We’re looking for a pouring consistency so don’t make this too thick. Give this a mix and take it off the heat. Strain the mixture for a smoother consistency and set this aside.
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Brush your bread with ghee and then bake, airfry, or pan-fry until golden brown and crispy. I airfried them at 350℉/175℃ for about 5 minutes. Be sure not to burn them!
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To assemble, you can use individual serving glasses or a larger serving dish for parties. We want to make sure our rabdi is warm before assembling as well. Add a layer of your warm rabdi on the bottom, followed by a slice of bread, fresh strawberry jam, and another layer of bread. Finish with more rabdi and garnish with fresh strawberries, pistachios, almonds, gold sprinkles, and saffron water. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
- If you don’t want to strain the rabdi, that step is optional. I did that to achieve a smoother consistency.
- If you don’t want to use cornstarch, you can just continue boiling the milk until it thickens.
- Instead of strawberries, any in-season fruit can be used.
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