Shahi Tukra with marzipan cholla bread

Bread pudding is one of the most frugal yet comforting and heart-warming desserts ever created. Though most people are simple with their addition of spice but it should be known that those creamy oozing layers of custard can do with and compliment any spice in a cabinet, here I have used traditional saffron and cardamom. In my home in Pakistan my Nani (granmother) made Shahi Tukra every Sunday lunchtime amongst the Biryani and accompaniments....It was a heavy dessert but there are ways of making it more suitably lower calorie,(use skimmed milk, less sugar) though you compromise the authenticity. Shahi Tukra is a sublimely saffron infused, milky, egg free bread pudding - the flavours and aromas are best described as decadent and very royal. Its a dessert that comes from the Mughals and is as popular today in India and Pakistan as I am sure it was then - of course only now it's a dessert more than just the privileged can enjoy. Shahi Tukra itself translates to 'A slice of Kingliness' so it's regal in it's name!In an attempt to create a twist on a classic Mughal recipe, I could resist this unassuming yet sweet nutty marzipan Cholla bread at Gail's and bought it instantly hoping to create a real fusion of cultures in the form of a marzipan cholla Shahi Tukra! I waited patiently for a day for the bread to be slightly stale and - here you go! A beautiful fragrant creation staying true to it's Mughal roots yet crossing over borders and flavours. The marzipan gives the dessert an enhanced nuttiness and sweetness.Don't be daunted by having to make  the 'Khoya' (which is basically thickened milk, takes ages to prepare but I include a quick recipe as below) this is not difficult at all! This is used in many Pakistani desserts so it's a recipe worth learning!Ingredients:1/2 loaf of a large marzipan cholla bread or any other soft fat bread loaf1/2 cup tbsp of ghee2 -3 cups whole milk (can substitute with almond or soya milk)1/2 cup of Khoya (to make you need about 3/4 cup dried powder milk and a tbsp water, method below)about 1/2 cup caster sugar1 large pinch of saffron soaked in hot milk for about 15 minutes2 pods of cardamom, bruised and seeds removedhandful of almond flakes and sliced pistachiosMakes enough for 3-4 people and takes about 30-45 minutes to prepareMethod:1. Make the Khoya by making a thick paste with the powdered milk and water and then cover and heat in microwave on full power for about 1 minute or so until it looks like stage 2 in the picture below. Then give it a stir and heat again for about a minute and a half and it should look like stage 4 below. You know have Khoya (thickened milk) which is added to many Pakistani desserts - and is used here too!2.  Next cut the crusts off the bread and heat 1-2 tbsp of ghee in a frying pan and fry the pieces of bread on both sides till golden brown and then place in a shallow dish and pour enough milk to soak the fried bread and leave for about 2-3 minutes before pressing out the milk and careful setting the bread aside.3. In a saucepan heat the the milk just used to soak bread, another cup of milk, khoya, 1-2 tbsp ghee, saffron, cardamom, sugar and cook on medium heat stirring constantly until it turn  thick and quite yellow.4. Once the yellow custard is ready pour half into a shallow serving dish and place the bread careful overlapping each other and then pout the remaining custard over the top making sure all the bread is covered evenly. Sprinkle with sliced pistachios and almond flakes and bake in a medium oven for about 20 minutes or so until the top is crusty and brown and the custard is bubbling away.5. Serve with more fresh nuts and some plain vanilla ice cream or eat just by itself either warm or cold. And why not sprinkle with beautiful pink rose petals for that rather elegant royal touch!