These soft and fluffy brioche doughnuts filled with a rich, creamy, and super delicious rabdi custard, and dusted with a brown sugar and cardamom mixture are inspired by the classic South Asian dessert, Shahi Tukda, and taste out of this world. You won’t be able to go back to regular doughnuts after this one!
My love for doughnuts is no secret, and ever since I have perfected my brioche doughnut recipe (which btw, is AMAZING, if I do say so myself), I cannot stop trying them with new fillings.
So far we’ve done the classics – custard, chocolate, and creme brûlée. But now it’s time for a South Asian twist. I mean, you know me, don’t you?
When I was thinking of what fusion filling I can add to these doughnuts, Rabdi was the first thing that came to my mind. After making the Shahi Tukda croissants, I realized how much Rabdi resembles a traditional custard in the feel and texture. It’s rich and creamy, but also light.
PS: you might also like this Rabdi mousse cake 👀
What is Shahi Tukda?
If you’ve never heard of Shahi Tukda, it’s a traditional South Asian dessert that means “Royal Bread.” It’s super popular in India and Pakistan, with each region and family putting their own spin on it.
In my hometown of Lucknow, North India, Shahi Tukda (also known as Double ka Meetha) is usually made with bread soaked in sugar syrup. But in my family, we make it a bit differently with a milk base.
There are basically two ways to make Shahi Tukda: with sugar syrup or with milk. My mom has always made the milk version, which is my favorite. She shallow fries the bread in ghee, then soaks it in a mix of milk and sugar. This mixture is boiled down until it thickens and turns into something like custard, which we call Rabdi.
Rabdi is another traditional South Asian sweet that’s like caramelized milk. For our Shahi Tukda, the milk-soaked bread is topped with thick Rabdi and chilled until it’s set.
Shahi Tukda also carries a subtle but present cardamom flavor throughout, which I have recreated by adding cardamom powder to different elements of the doughnuts.
How To Make Rabdi
Rabdi is mainly made from milk and sugar. Think of it like really caramelized, sweet milk. My mother dearest suggests using milk powder instead of regular milk for a richer, more caramelized flavor. While the usual method involves cooking the milk powder, water, and sugar until it reduces and thickens, I add some cornflour at the end to make it even thicker and hold its shape better.
Here’s how you can make Rabdi:
- Heat water in a saucepan, then add milk powder and sugar, stirring until fully dissolved.
- Cook the mixture on medium-high heat until it starts boiling, stirring often. Once it boils, lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook and reduce. Stir every few minutes to prevent scorching.
- When the mixture has reduced by about half, remove about 1/2 cup to soak the croissants later.
- Continue cooking until it reduces to about 1/4 of the original amount and thickens. Add a cornflour slurry (cornflour mixed with milk) while stirring to avoid lumps.
- Add cardamom powder and keep stirring and cooking on medium-low heat for another 5-8 minutes until the Rabdi thickens. Then, take it off the heat, transfer it to a bowl, and let it cool in the fridge. Whisk it to smooth it out before using.
- You can make Rabdi a day ahead and store it in the fridge to make things easier.
How To Make Brioche Doughnuts
I have used my signature brioche doughnut recipe for this. Brioche is a kind of dough that has a high fat percentage which results in an extremely soft and fluffy doughnut.
You can make the dough by hand or use a stand mixer with a dough attachment. It’s definitely easier with a stand mixer, but making it by hand can count as your workout for the day.
Here’s how to make Brioche dough.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and salt until fully combined. If you have a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment for this step. If not, a hand whisk works fine too.
- Mix the warm milk with the yeast until it’s roughly combined. Make sure the milk isn’t too hot, or the yeast won’t activate.
- Pour the milk and yeast mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Then, add the melted butter and mix again.
- Add half of the flour and whisk until combined, then add the remaining flour. If you’re using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook now; otherwise, start kneading by hand.
- If using a stand mixer, knead the dough on medium speed for 5-10 minutes until it forms a smooth ball that climbs the dough hook. If kneading by hand, work the dough for 10-15 minutes until it’s smooth and clean.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover it with cling wrap, and let it rise in the fridge for about 3 hours until it doubles in size. Alternatively, you can let it rest overnight in the fridge.
- Place the risen dough on a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Roll out the dough to about 1.5 cm thickness, ensuring it’s even throughout.
- Use a 7 cm round cookie cutter (or any cutter you prefer), flour the sides, and cut circles from the rolled dough. Place the circles on a tray. For traditional hole doughnuts, use a smaller cutter or a frosting tip to cut a hole in the center.
- Tip: Put the dough circles on small squares of baking paper to make it easier to pick them up for frying without disturbing their rise.
- Knead the leftover dough and repeat the process until all the dough is used.
- Lightly cover the doughnuts with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes until they double in size. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan to 170 degrees Celsius for deep frying.
- Once the doughnuts have risen and the oil is hot, fry them for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Check if they are cooked through by inserting a toothpick or knife.
- Place the fried doughnuts on paper towels to drain excess oil.
- While they’re still hot, roll them in a mixture of brown sugar, white sugar, and cardamom powder.
- Let the doughnuts cool, then use a small knife to make a hole in the center of each. Fill them with the Rabdi using a piping bag and enjoy.
You won’t be able to imagine how unbelievably good these taste until you try them, The flavors pay beautifully and the doughnut acts as the perfect carrier for that sweet, caramelized Rabdi.
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Rabdi Brioche Doughnuts
Equipment
- Stand mixer with whisk and dough attachment optional, but recommended
- Hand whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Rolling Pin
- 7cm round cookie cutter or any cookie cutter of your choice
- Baking paper
- Saucepan for deep frying
- Piping bag
Ingredients
Rabdi
- 1 liter water
- 85 grams milk powder
- 125 grams white granulated sugar
- 5 grams corn flour
- 30 grams full-fat milk
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Brioche Doughnuts
- 2 eggs
- 50 grams caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 10 grams instant yeast
- 240 ml warm milk
- 170 grams butter melted
- 560 grams all-purpose flour
- 300 ml vegatable oil for frying
Dusting
- 30 grams brown sugar
- 20 grams white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
Instructions
Rabdi
- In a saucepan, heat the water on medium-high until warm. Add the milk powder and sugar, stirring until they dissolve completely. If lumps form from the milk powder, continue stirring until they break up and dissolve.1 liter water, 85 grams milk powder, 125 grams white granulated sugar
- Once the milk mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from scorching at the bottom.
- Continue cooking on low heat until the milk reduces to about a quarter of its original volume and thickens. The milk will also take on a slightly brown, caramelized color.
- Prepare a slurry by mixing the corn flour with milk, then pour it into the thickened milk while stirring constantly. Keep stirring to prevent lumps as the Rabdi thickens further from the corn flour.5 grams corn flour, 30 grams full-fat milk
- Add the cardamom powder and cook for another 5-8 minutes until the mixture is thick. Remove it from the heat, transfer to a bowl, cover, and let it chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours.1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- Before using, whip the Rabdi with a hand whisk to smooth it out, then transfer it into a piping bag or a zip lock bag.
Brioche Doughnuts
- Add the eggs, sugar, and salt to a bowl. If you have a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment and whisk until everything is well combined. If not, use a hand whisk.2 eggs, 50 grams caster sugar, 1 tablespoon salt
- In another bowl, mix the warm milk with the instant yeast. Ensure the milk isn’t too hot, as that can kill the yeast. Pour the milk mixture into the eggs and whisk until blended.10 grams instant yeast, 240 ml warm milk
- Next, add the melted butter and whisk again. Then add half the flour and mix until you get a thick, batter-like consistency.170 grams butter melted, 560 grams all-purpose flour
- Add the remaining flour and switch to the dough attachment (if using a stand mixer). Knead on medium speed for 5-10 minutes until the dough forms a soft ball and starts climbing the dough hook. If you’re not using a stand mixer, knead by hand for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and forms a ball.
- Place the dough ball in an oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap, and let it rise in the fridge for about three hours, or until it doubles in size. You can also let it rest overnight for 12-16 hours.
- Once risen, transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Roll the dough to a thickness of 1.5 cm, making sure it’s even throughout.
- Flour a cookie cutter and cut out circles from the dough, placing them on pieces of baking paper. If you want to make classic doughnuts with a hole, use a smaller cookie cutter or the back of a large frosting tip to cut out the center. Tip: Cut the baking paper into small squares and place each doughnut on a piece to make it easier to transfer them into the frying pan.
- Cover the doughnuts loosely with a towel or cling film and let them rise in a warm place until they double in size. Meanwhile, heat the oil to 170 degrees Celsius.300 ml vegatable oil for frying
- When the doughnuts have risen and the oil is hot, fry them for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. To check if they are cooked through, poke one with a toothpick or small knife—it should come out clean.
- Make the dusting: mix brown sugar, white sugar, and cardamom powder in a bowl.30 grams brown sugar, 20 grams white granulated sugar, 1 tsp cardamom powder
- Transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to absorb the excess oil, and while they are still hot, roll them in cinnamon sugar.
- Once the doughnuts have completely cooled down, use a smalll knife to poke a hole in the center of the doughnut and fill with the rabdi inside using a piping bag and enjoy.
Notes
- The Rabdi can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- The filled doughnuts can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days.
- The brioche dough can be made ahead the night before and shaped and fried the next day.
- The rabdi can also be made a day ahead of filling for convenience.
- Prevent Sticking: When making the Rabdi, keep stirring the milk mixture while cooking to prevent it from sticking or burning at the bottom.
- Cornflour Slurry: When adding the cornflour slurry into the Rabdi, mix continuously to avoid any lumps forming.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the Rabdi a day in advance to save time.
- Milk Temperature: For the doughnuts, ensure the milk is lukewarm (around 30-35°C) when mixing it with yeast. Hot milk can kill the yeast, preventing the dough from rising.
- Kneading the Dough: Knead until the dough forms a completely smooth ball with just a hint of stickiness.
- Rolling the Dough: Properly flour the surface and the rolling pin to prevent sticking. Roll the dough to a thickness of 1.5-2 cm to avoid oversized, misshapen doughnuts after rising.
- Even Thickness: Maintain an even thickness across the dough to ensure uniformly thick doughnuts.
- Baking Paper: Cut baking paper into small squares and place each doughnut on a piece. This makes it easy to transfer the doughnuts to the frying pan without disturbing their rise.
- Oil Temperature: Make sure the oil is at the correct temperature before adding the doughnuts. If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the oil until it’s very hot, similar to how you would for deep-frying potato fries.
- Heat Control: Adjust the heat as needed during frying to ensure the doughnuts cook through without burning on the outside.
- Monitor Browning: Keep an eye on the doughnuts and avoid letting them get too dark.
- Yeast Check: If your dough doesn’t rise, it means the yeast is likely dead. Use fresh yeast and ensure the milk isn’t too hot.
- Avoid Overcooking: If the doughnuts come out dry, it means they have been overcooked.
- Cardamom Sugar: Roll the doughnuts in the sugar mixture while they are still hot so it sticks to the surface.
- Filling Doughnuts: Ensure the doughnuts are completely cooled before filling to prevent the filling from melting.
I am SO excited for you guys to try this recipe, it really cannot be described in words.
If you give it a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments, and of course, share it with me on Instagram.
Until next time!
