Rabdi Mousse Cake | Shahi Tukda-inspired Mousse Cake
This cake brings the flavors of one of South Asia's most popular desserts into a mousse cake! Made with a light and fluffy three milk cake that's topped with soft and creamy Rabdi mousse and a crunchy and nutty white chocolate shell, it's the perfect showstopper dessert that's easy to make and looks like a million bucks!
Equipment
- 7x7" square pastry frame, glass dish or steel pan
- Electric or stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Silicone spatula
- Heavy-bottom saucepan
Ingredients
Three Milk Cake
- 2 eggs separated into whites and yolks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 35 grams white granulated sugar
- 40 grams all-purpose flour
- 80 ml liquid whipping cream
- 180 ml condensed milk
- 50 ml evaporated milk
Rabdi
- 1 liter water
- 85 grams milk powder
- 125 grams white granulated sugar
- 5 grams corn flour
- 30 grams full-fat milk for corn flour slurry
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Rabdi Mousse
- 70 ml liquid whipping cream
- 70 ml full-fat milk
- 150 grams homemade Rabdi
- 6 grams gelatin powder
- 30 ml ice-cold water for blooming gelatin
- 200 grams white chocolate chopped
- 225 ml liquid whipping cream for whipping
White Chocolate Shell
- 200 grams white chocolate
- 20 ml neutral oil
- 60 grams nuts of your choice chopped
Instructions
Milk Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare the baking pan by layering it with parchment paper or greasing it with butter and flour to make sure that the cake does not stick while baking. I recommend using the same pan for baking the cake that will be used to assemble the remaining layers.
- Place the egg white and yolks in two separate bowls and add half the sugar in each bowl. Add vanilla and whip the egg yolks until they are light and fluffy and the egg whites until they are thick, fluffy, and reach stiff peaks.2 eggs separated into whites and yolks, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 35 grams white granulated sugar
- Now, add the egg white mix and the flour into the egg yolk mix alternatively, 1/3rd at a time. Fold the mix after each addition with a silicone spatula gently, making sure not to knock the air out of the mixture. There is no baking powder in this cake. The airiness of the egg whites is what helps the cake rise and gives it that spongey texture. If you knock a lot of air off while mixing, your cake will be flat and dense.40 grams all-purpose flour
- Once everything is well combined, transfer the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. The cake layer should not be too thick, around 2 inches.
- Make the milk mixture: In a bowl, place all the ingredients for the milk: liquid whipping cream, condensed milk, and evaporated milk, and mix until fully combined.80 ml liquid whipping cream, 180 ml condensed milk, 50 ml evaporated milk
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes into it using a fork (to help the milk soak better). While the cake is still hot, pour a generous amount of the milk and let it cool. If the cake was baked in a different pan than the one in which the dessert will be assembled, place it in the assembling dish before soaking it with the milk as it will become too soft to move after.
Rabdi
- In a saucepan, add the water and cook it on medium-high heat until it becomes warm, then add the milk powder and sugar and mix until they are fully dissolved in the water. The milk powder may form a few lumps, keep mixing until they are broken and dissolved.1 liter water, 85 grams milk powder, 125 grams white granulated sugar
- Once the milk starts boiling, reduce the heat medium low and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, mixing every few minutes to avoid the milk from scalding at the bottom. Continue cooking and mixing on low heat until the milk reduces to almost 1/4th the original quantity and thickens. The milk will also become a little brown and caramelized.
- Make the corn flour slurry by mixing the corn flour with milk, then add it into the thickened milk while mixing consistently. Keep mixing to avoid any lumps from forming as the Rabdi thickens from the corn flour. Add the cardamom powder, then cook for another 5-8 minutes until the mixture has thickened, then take it off the heat, transfer to a bowl, cover and let it chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Whip with a fork or hand whisk to smooth it out before using.5 grams corn flour, 30 grams full-fat milk for corn flour slurry, 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Rabdi Mousse
- Bloom the gelatin: pour ice-cold water in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin powder over it. Immediately mix the water until the gelatin water is dissolved, then let it set in the fridge for 15 minutes.6 grams gelatin powder, 30 ml ice-cold water for blooming gelatin
- In a heat-proof bowl, add the white chocolate. Add the milk, whipping cream, and homemade Rabdi to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once it’s hot, pour the milk mixture on the chocolate, let it sit for a minute until the chocolate melts, then whisk together until the chocolate is properly incorporated into the milk mixture.70 ml liquid whipping cream, 70 ml full-fat milk, 200 grams white chocolate chopped, 150 grams homemade Rabdi
- While the mixture is still hot, add the bloomed gelatin and whisk until the gelatin is fully melted and incorporated into the milk mixture. Make sure your mixture is still hot, or the gelatin will not melt properly. Set it aside until it cools down to room temperature. In a separate bowl, add the remaining liquid whipping cream and whip it with a hand or electric mixer until it reaches medium peaks.225 ml liquid whipping cream for whipping
- Once the milk mixture has reached room temperature, gradually pour it into the whipped cream while folding the mixture gently with a silicon spatula. Do this gently so that the mixture remains light and fluffy.
- Assembly: Spread a thin layer of the remaining homemade Rabdi on top of the soaked milk cake, and top it with the mousse. Let the dessert chill in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Prepare the chocolate shell: In a bowl, mix the melted chocolate with the oil and chopped nuts until combined. Once the dessert is set, pour the chocolate on top and let it pour down the sides, covering all the open spots using an offset spatula. If you are setting this trifle style, pour the chocolate on top and spread a thin layer. Let it cool until the shell is completely set, then serve.200 grams white chocolate, 20 ml neutral oil, 60 grams nuts of your choice chopped
Notes
Storage:
This cake can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Make Ahead:
This dessert can be made a day ahead and chilled overnight.
Tips & Tricks:
- When making the Rabdi, keep mixing the milk mixture while cooking to make sure it does not stick or burn at the bottom.
- When adding the cornflour slurry, make sure to keep mixing to avoid any lumps.
- You can make the Rabdi a day before and chill it to reduce your work on the day.
- You can make this dessert in any pan of your choice. Using a pastry frame will allow you to unmold the cake from the pan. However, you can easily bake and set it in a glass pan and serve it directly from the dish.
- Make sure to keep the cake layer thin, the ratio should be 30% cake and 70% mousse for best results.
- Pour the milk on the cake while the cake is still hot to ensure that it soaks up the milk properly and let it chill for at least an hour before topping with the mousse.
- When whipping the cream for the mousse, make sure to keep it at medium stiff peaks or it will get over mixed when you mix it with the chocolate ganache.
- Fold the cream gently into the chocolate ganache using a silicone spatula to ensure that the mousse remains light, airy, and fluffy.
- Chill the mousse cake for at least 6-8 hours or ideally overnight to ensure that it sets properly.