Chef Vikas Khanna’s Phirni Creme Brûlée
1 hour 45 minutes (includes cooking and chilling time)
Indian
Serves: 4-6
This delightful Phirni Creme Brûlée is a luxurious twist on traditional rice kheer, infused with aromatic rose petals, cardamom, and saffron, then topped with caramelized sugar for a crème brûlée effect. Perfectly rich, creamy, and fragrant, it’s an irresistible dessert that can be enjoyed warm or chilled.
Meet the Chef: Chef Vikas Khanna
Ingredients
1/4 cup rice, washed, rinsed, and soaked for 30 minutes
2 tablespoons ghee
1 litre whole milk
5-6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons rose petals
1 teaspoon saffron
10 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/4 – 1/2 cup cream (or half & half)
Almonds for garnish
Preparation
- Heat ghee in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add soaked rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the milk and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cook until the rice becomes mushy, around 12-15 minutes.
- Lightly crush the cardamom, saffron, rose petals, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add them to the rice mixture and stir well.
- Add 3 more tablespoons of sugar, mix, and continue to cook on low heat, maintaining a gentle simmer for about an hour. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula to prevent sticking.
- Once the kheer thickens and reduces significantly, add 1/4 cup cream and continue cooking until the desired creamy consistency is reached.
- Transfer the kheer to a serving dish, allow it to cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the kheer and caramelize using a kitchen blow torch until golden brown.
- Garnish with sliced almonds and serve.
