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Bread Halwa

Serves 4
30 mins
329 Kcal
This bread halwa is a deliciously rich Indian dessert prepared with the simplest of ingredients one can think of using like bread, ghee, sugar, and milk for the preparation. This is a speedy and innovative form of halwa recipes and just pops up during festival seasons even as an afterthought for a sweet indulgence. For the preparation of the bread halwa recipe, slices of bread are first roasted or shallow-fried with generous amounts of ghee until golden and crispy. This gives it a very deep nutty flavour and a melt-in-the-mouth texture to the dish. The bread pieces are then soft-cooked in a sugar-milk mixture that should be infused into them to make them soft and have the consistency of a pudding. The recipe for Bread halwa is typically decorated with roasted cashews and almonds, while some variations may feature raisins or saffron for a pop of taste and colour. Its flamboyant layering of flavours and textures may come in crisp and crunchy, giving way to soft and creamy: ending it up, the flavour of cardamom warms up the dessert and leaves an aromatic aftertaste: Yet another favourite in homes and Indian weddings as well as in Diwali and Eid, bread halwa is a nice dessert that is very easy to prepare and irresistible to taste. Bread halwa becomes simply irresistible when it is served both hot and at room temperature.

Ingredients required for Bread Halwa

  1. 3 slices bread
  2. 1/2 cup sugar
  3. 2 cups milk
  4. 1/2 cup ghee
  5. 3 tbsp cashews
  6. 3 tbsp golden raisins
  7. 1/2 tsp cardamom

Cooking steps for Bread Halwa

  1. 1
    Halwa bread is nothing but a sweet dish that happens to be an affair of taste; it uses only the simplest of ingredients, all transformed into a rich sweet treat, especially over festivals and special occasions but can easily be prepared at home using some everyday staple items.
  2. 2
    You would require three pieces of white bread, half a cup of sugar, two cups of milk, half a cup of ghee, three tablespoons of cashews, three tablespoons of golden raisins, and half a teaspoon of ground cardamom.
  3. 3
    The entire process is going to be very special as the bread has to be prepared as the base of this dish.
  4. 4
    Begin by removing the crusts from each of the three pieces of white bread.
  5. 5
    Discard the crust or save them for another use like crumbs or croutons.
  6. 6
    Cut up the bread slices into small cubes or tear them apart into bits so that they may imbibe all possible flavours and moisture while cooking.
  7. 7
    The textured form of the halwa will be defined as the bread that soaks all the milk. Ensure you cut it into very tiny pieces, so it soaks in a manner that it becomes soft.
  8. 8
    Heat half a cup of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Ghee is a clarified butter with richness in flavour and aroma.
  9. 9
    Add chopped bread pieces to the pan once the ghee turns hot.
  10. 10
    Stir and fry until bread is soft, continuously stirring and gently pressing ghee over all pieces of bread so they don't burn.
  11. 11
    Bread must turn golden brown and crispy, which normally takes about 4-5 minutes. Now it is time to add the texture and sweetness to this halwa.
  12. 12
    Add three tablespoons of cashews and three tablespoons of golden raisins to the pan.
  13. 13
    Cashews provide that nice crunch and wonderful flavour, while golden raisins explode that sweetness upon every mouthful.
  14. 14
    Saut for another 2-3 minutes, letting the nuts slightly toast and the raisins swell and become plump.
  15. 15
    Now add two cups of milk and half a cup of sugar to the pan.
  16. 16
    Stir it very well so that all the ingredients mix well and the sugar dissolves completely into the warm milk. It creates a creamy texture as it adds taste not just to the halwa but also helps to break the bread pieces into a pudding-like form.
  17. 17
    Put this onto low simmer, and it cooks for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan, but it should be cooking evenly; you will begin to see how that bread starts absorbing that milk and results in an amazingly rich aromatic dish.
  18. 18
    Now is the time to add a flavour to the thickened halwa.
  19. 19
    Add half a teaspoon of ground cardamom, which gives a warm, fragrant aroma and a touch of spice to the dessert.
  20. 20
    Mix well to combine cardamom with the halwa and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
  21. 21
    Stir well continuously in this process by which cardamom flavour goes into the halwa, giving it an extra aromatic and delicious taste.
  22. 22
    When the Bread Halwa reaches the required consistency and flavours have blended well together, take off from the flame.
  23. 23
    Serve warm or even at room temperature.
  24. 24
    Garnish with a few more cashews or raisins on top for an elegant look.
  25. 25
    Bread Halwa is just the comfort food that satisfies everyone's craving. It is richly flavoured and wonderfully textured, which makes it the epitome for finishing any meal or as a celebration with family and loved ones.
  26. 26
    So go on and indulge in this delicious delight and relish the warmth and happiness it brings!

Shop Ingredients

Ghee (1/2 cup)
370
1
585
1
549
1
355
1
650
1
665
1
635
1
696
1
141
1
370
1
Sugar (1/2 cup)
80
1
47
1
65
1
239
1
55
1
101
1
85
1
50
1
225
1
291
1
Golden Raisins (3 Tbsp)
63
1
97
1
146
1
60
1
149
1
111
1
230
1
270
1
254
1
163
1
Bread (3 slices)
60
1
60
1
63
1
65
1
53
1
Cashews (3 Tbsp)
267
1
579
1
116
1
115
1
451
1
649
1
133
1
280
1
465
1
698
1
Cardamom (1/2 Tsp)
189
1
51
1
250
1
143
1
135
1
252
1
323
1
192
1
209
1
239
1

FAQs

What is Bread Halwa and how does it differ from traditional halwa?

Bread halwa is an Indian sweet from sliced bread, ghee, sugar, milk, and cardamom. The traditional cooking of halwa has been historically based on semolina, sooji, or wheat flour. Bread halwa is, however, a different preparation as it is prepared with leftover or fresh bread as the base ingredient. Bread is toasted or fried in ghee till golden brown and then cooked in sugar syrup and milk until it forms a soft, rich halwa. These days, making this halwa is so easy, and it feels so great to taste its delightful sweetness and texture.

What type of bread will be ideal for preparing Bread Halwa?

The best bread for bread halwa is white bread, as it absorbs the ghee and milk so well, which makes it very soft and rich in consistency. You can use other kinds of bread also like whole wheat, brown, or even multigrain bread, if you want a little healthier version. Most people prefer stale bread since it fries well, and the texture of the fried bread is firmer. Do not use fresh bread as it becomes too soggy on cooking.

Can Bread Halwa be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated?

Yes, you can make bread halwa ahead of time. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. For serving, reheat the bread halwa in a microwave or on the stovetop with a little ghee or milk to get it nice and soft again. The flavours of the halwa often blossom and come together in ways that make them even more luscious when reheated the next day.