Bread halwa recipe with step by step pics. Bread halwa is a variation of halwa made with bread slices, ghee, sugar, milk and nuts. To make bread halwa, bread cubes are first fried or roasted in ghee and later cooked with milk and sugar. It can be served hot, warm, or chilled as a sweet snack or as a dessert after meals.
Basically, the preparation of bread halwa is similar to the way most halwa are made. The taste of bread halwa is like that of bread pudding. Thus it tastes good. Making bread halwa is easy but some hand stirring is required.
Tips for making bread halwa
- Usually white bread gives the best texture in the halwa. But even brown bread can be used.
- You can even use one to two days old bread to make bread halwa.
- Sweet bread or milk bread can also be used to make bread halwa. If using sweet bread, then add very less sugar and as per taste.
- I have not added much ghee in the halwa, but yes you can add more ghee if you want.
- The dry fruits and nuts can also be of your choice. I love the light sweetness of cashew nuts in the halwa. You’re welcome to experiment with others like pistachios, sliced almonds, or pecans.
- To veganize the recipe, you can use a neutral tasting oil or a vegan butter and almond milk or water.
Bread halwa can be served hot or warm or chilled. Serve bread halwa as a sweet snack or as a dessert after meals.
How to make Bread Halwa
Frying dry fruits:
1. Take a heavy kadai and heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in it. Keep the heat to medium-low or medium.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of cashews.
3. Begin to fry cashews stirring them often.
4. Fry cashews till they turn golden. Then remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
6. In the same kadai, now add 1 tablespoon of raisins.
7. Stirring continuously fry raisins till they become plump and swell in size.
8. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
Roasting bread
9. Again in the same kadai, add 2 cups of white bread cubes. So before beginning the recipe, chop 4 to 5 white bread slices in cubes.
You can slice off the side crusts if you want. You can even use brown bread or milk bread instead of white bread.
10. Mix the bread cubes with the ghee and begin to roast them.
11. Stir at intervals while roasting bread cubes.
12. Roast till the bread cubes look crisp and light golden.
Making bread halwa
13. Add 7 to 8 tablespoons of sugar or add as per taste. If you are making the halwa with sweet bread, then add very less sugar or according to taste.
14. Next pour 1.5 cups of milk. You can also use water or half-half of water and milk. The addition of milk gives a richness to the halwa.
15. Stir and mix everything very well.
16. Sprinkle 8 to 10 saffron strands and stir again. Adding saffron strands is optional.
17. Simmer on a low to medium-low heat. Stir at intervals.
18. The bread cubes will absorb the milk and start thickening.
19. Once the bread halwa mixture thickens then after that keep on stirring often or continuously.
20. Keep stirring till mixture starts coming together.
21. Then add 1 tablespoon of ghee.
22. Mix very well till ghee is absorbed.
23. Now add the fried cashews and raisins reserving a few cashews and raisins for garnish. Also add ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder.
24. Continue to stir and mix till the entire bread halwa mixture has come together and you see some ghee at the sides. The stickiness in the mixture should not be there. The consistency of bread halwa will be like Sooji halwa.
25. Serve bread halwa in bowls or small plates hot or warm. You can even spread the bread halwa in moulds or pans.
If spreading in a pan, then add halwa after it is done and still very hot. Later you can slice and serve bread halwa as cubes or squares. Garnish bread halwa with a few of the fried cashews and raisins. Serve hot or warm.
Leftover bread halwa can be refrigerated and warmed just before serving.
More sweets recipes
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Bread Halwa
Ingredients
for frying dry fruits
- 2 tablespoons Ghee
- 2 tablespoons cashews
- 1 tablespoons raisins
other ingredients
- 2 cups white bread cubes or about 4 to 5 white bread slices, cubed
- 7 to 8 tablespoons sugar or add as required
- 1.5 cups milk
- 8 to 10 saffron strands – optional
- 1 tablespoon Ghee (clarified butter) to be added later
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
frying dry fruits
- Take a heavy thick bottomed kadai and heat 2 tablespoons ghee in it. Keep the flame to medium-low or medium.
- Add 2 tablespoons cashews. begin to fry cashews stirring them often till they turn golden.
- Then remove fried cashews with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
- In the same kadai, add 1 tablespoons raisins.
- Stirring continuously fry raisins till they become plump and swell in size.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
roasting bread
- Again in the same kadai, add 2 cups white bread cubes. So before beginning the recipe, chop 4 to 5 white bread slices in cubes. You can slice off the side crusts if you want.
- Mix the bread cubes with the ghee and begin to roast them.
- Stir at intervals while roasting bread cubes. roast till the bread cubes look crisp and light golden.
making bread ka halwa
- Then add 7 to 8 tablespoons sugar or add as per taste.
- Next pour 1.5 cups milk. You can also use water or half-half of water and milk. Addition of milk gives a richness to the halwa.
- Stir and mix everything very well so that the sugar dissolves.
- Sprinkle 8 to 10 saffron strands and stir again. Adding saffron strands is optional.
- Simmer on a low to medium-low flame. Stir at intervals.
- The bread cubes will absorb milk and start thickening.
- Once the halwa mixture thickens then after that keep on stirring often or continuously.
- Keep stirring till mixture starts coming together. then add 1 tablespoon ghee.
- Mix very well till ghee is absorbed.
- Now add the fried cashews & raisins reserving a few cashews and raisins for garnish. Also add ½ teaspoon cardamom powder.
- Continue to stir and mix till the entire halwa mixture has come together and you see some ghee at the sides. The stickiness in the mixture should not be there. The consistency of bread halwa will be like sooji halwa.
- Serve bread halwa in bowls or small plates hot or warm. You can even spread the halwa in moulds or pans. If spreading in a pan, then add halwa after it is done and still very hot. Later you can slice and serve the halwa as cubes or squares.
- Garnish bread halwa with a few of the fried cashews and raisins. Serve hot or warm. Leftover bread ka halwa can be refrigerated and warmed just before serving.
Notes
- If using sweet bread, then add very less sugar and as per taste.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Bread Halwa Post from the archives first published on Juy 2018 has been republished and updated in January 2023.
