Shahi Tukray, translating literally to "royal bites", is a subcontinental dessert originating from the Mughal Empire, and is my FAVORITE Pakistani dessert (which says a lot, considering Gulab Jamun and Rus Malai are in contention). This is a bread and milk based no-bake dessert, and the best way to describe it is if Rus Malai, French Toast, and Tres Leches had a baby.
This Easy Shahi Tukray recipe is a must try - it is really simple with only ~15 minutes of active work, 6 ingredients, and way more delicious than you would think. The kind of delicious where you keep going back for more (I just wiped up half a dish on my own..). So, let's get into it, shall we?!
Jump to:
INGREDIENTS
This recipe needs only 6 simple ingredients (one of which is salt) - it's THAT easy! Make sure you scroll down to the recipe card for the exact quantities:
- Kings Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls - I find that these rolls are the perfect size, taste and texture for Shahi Tukray. However, if you don't have them, don't worry! You can use any plain bread you like. I would recommend using a soft bread like brioche which comes in a loaf so you can cut it into slices yourself
- Unsalted Butter to fry the rolls - you can also use oil if you like, but I suggest butter as it tastes better
- Whole milk
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Cardamom pods or cardamom powder - this recipe uses a small amount of cardamom so it's not overpowering, but if you are not a fan, you can skip it or use cinnamon or vanilla instead
- Salt - always add a bit of salt to your desserts to balance things out!
HOW TO MAKE EASY SHAHI TUKRAY
The technique for this recipe is purposefully simplified. There are many different techniques out there: many require making a milk mixture with milk and sugar and cooking it down, some include sugar syrups, and some include rabri. But I wanted to share a recipe which is no-fuss and doesn't require much work, and I personally believe the end result is still the best!
Here's a video where you can see the process in action:
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="8LEXd2Qb" upload-date="2023-07-25T01:23:33.000Z" name="Easy Shahi Tukray" description="How to make Shahi Tukray in just 15 minutes" player-type="default" override-embed="default"]
So here's what you do:
1. Fry the bread until golden and crispy
Since we are using Kings Hawaiian Rolls, first slice the bread into half horizontally and then divide into the separate rolls - this will give you a total of 24 small slices of bread.
In a nonstick pan, shallow fry the rolls in unsalted butter until they are golden on both sides. You don't need so much butter that the rolls are getting deep fried, but also don't use so little that they don't crisp up nicely. I used almost a whole stick (½ cup).
2. Prepare the quick milk mixture
Add the milk, cardamom and salt to a saucepan, and cook on medium low heat until the milk boils and starts to thicken up (about 5-7 minutes). We're not looking for a thick mixture, we just want it to start thickening.
Then, add the sweetened condensed milk and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Since everyone has different taste preferences, I strongly suggest adding the sweetened condensed milk a little at a time and tasting until it meets your desired level of sweetness. I used up almost ¾ of a can.
3. Assemble
Place the fried bread in your serving dish of choice, as nicely as you can! I like to do a stacked arrangement that follows the direction of my dish, and used an oval dish for this recipe. You serving dish should be a size such that the slices are somewhat stacked (i.e., not placed too loosely) and there's enough height to hold onto the milk mixture.
Once the bread has been arranged, pour over the milk mixture, making sure to get it everywhere. I like to pass my milk through a strainer to remove any lumps and the cardamom pods (because I don't know about you, but I've never met anyone who's enjoyed eating them..).
That's it! Now just place the dish in the refrigerator until the Shahi Tukray are fully cooled down (~2 hours or more).
4. Decorate and serve!
When you're ready to serve, garnish your Shahi Tukray with any toppings of your choice! Slivered almonds, dried rose petals and silver flakes are classic, but I opted for a simpler finish with almonds and freeze dried strawberries (which I think taste nicer than rose petals).
Serve and enjoy!!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you don't have access to Hawaiian Rolls, don't worry! You can use any kind of plain bread you like. Many people make these with simple sandwich bread, but I prefer using something softer and tastier like brioche. Also opt for something with slightly thicker slices (~½" thick each). The shape and size doesn't really matter so you can play around with it. I also don't find that you need to remove the crust of the bread, as it becomes soft and yummy after being soaked.
Yes, you can, but oil doesn't taste as good as butter! So while we are making a yummy indulgent dessert, I strongly recommend butter.
Yes, you can! These can be prepared 1-2 days in advance, and then stored in the fridge in an airtight container (or with a plastic wrap over the serving dish) for 5-7 days.
The cardamom adds a lovely sweetness to the dessert, making it taste similar to Rus Malai. However, if you don't like it, you can opt for a vanilla or cinnamon flavor instead, too.
Now, let's look at the recipe! If you try this out, do leave a review below 🙂
EASY SHAHI TUKRAY RECIPE (PAKISTANI)
- Total Time: 2+ hours with cooling
- Yield: 8-10
Description
An easy, no fuss take on the delicious South Asian dessert which takes only 15 minutes of work and 6 ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 pack Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (12 rolls); or sub brioche or white bread of your choice (about 350g total)
- 6-8 tablespoon unsalted butter (113g)
- 5 cups whole milk (1200g)
- 4-6 cardamom pods
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ of 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk (about 300g)
Instructions
- Divide the Hawaiian Rolls and slice each into half horizontally
- Pan fry in a generous amount of butter until the rolls are golden and crispy on both sides
- Bring the milk, cardamom pods and salt to a boil in a saucepan, and simmer on low heat for ~5 minutes. Add the sweetened condensed milk, tasting to bring the sweetness to your desired level, and mix to combine
- Arrange the fried rolls in your serving dish of choice, stacking them nicely
- Strain over the milk mixture, making sure to cover all the rolls
- Cover and refrigerate for 2+ hours until fully cooled down
- Garnish with slivered almonds and crushed freeze dried strawberries
- Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is quite flexible and you can adjust almost all quantities to your preference
- You can prepare these Shahi Tukray in advance (1-2 days) and garnish before serving
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: Pakistani
RELATED RECIPES
If you enjoy this recipe, you will also love my other no bake desserts! Check them out:
Sadia Asad says
Awesome
Zoha says
Thank you!
Kaifa says
This turned out amazing ,i added cardamom powder instead of cardamom pods and i also added almond powder in milk .
Zoha says
Yummy! Thank you so much, Kaifa 🙂
Tanees says
Thank you for this recipe. Such an easy and delicious one. Really good for dinners and hosting and goes down a treat with guests.
Zoha says
Yay, I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe!
S Amnah Ahmed says
Thank you for sharing!! These turned out ahhhmazingggg?
Zoha says
So happy to hear that xx
Hafsa Asaf says
OMG! I love how simple and easy-to-follow this recipe is! I loved how you have a step by step picture for everything so newbies like me can look and confirm if we’re actually doing it right 🙈
Also, I love cardamom but my husband doesn’t. Really appreciate the hacks at the end 😉🙌🏼
Zoha says
Thanks so so much, Hafsa!! This is one my favorite dessert recipes because of how easy and delicious it is 🙂
Asma Amer says
Easier than my version. Yummier than my version. ❤️❤️❤️
Zoha says
AWW thanks mama!
Rozina says
The ratio of milk to bread was off in this recipe. I was pretty disappointed as I made it for an Eid gathering and didn’t test it first. There was way too much milk. The presentation was pretty but otherwise, I would not make this recipe again.