Rose Kheer Tarts with Red Velvet Cookie Crust | Indian Rice Pudding in Red Velvet Cookie Tarts

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and this time I thought of giving my husband a delicious surprise by making for him his favorite Indian Dessert, the very humble and yummilicious rice kheer flavored with a little hint of rose and cardamom. Well, that is not all ! this rice kheer will be served in these beautiful red velvet cookie tart shells to lend that special romantic touch to a wonderful evening. If you too are looking for some special fusion recipes to impress your valentine on the special day, then I bet there can't be a better one than this. Do give it a try !!

Just in case, you want to keep away from the rice pudding, you may serve these tarts with fillings like chocolate mousse, strawberry mousse or even raspberry or rose panacotta. Options are simply endless, you just need to wear your thinking caps and get going !!     

Rose Kheer Tarts with Red Velvet Cookie Crust | Indian Rice Pudding in Red Velvet Cookie Tarts

Rose Kheer Tarts with Red Velvet Cookie Crust | Indian Rice Pudding in Red Velvet Cookie Tarts

Ingredients

For Red Velvet Cookie Crust

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
Liquid red food color - 2 to 3 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Granulated sugar - 1/4 cup
Butter (chilled, cut into cubes) - 1/2 cup
Chilled milk - 1 to 2 tbsp

Red Velvet Cookie Tart Shells

Red Velvet Cookie Tart Shells

For Rose Kheer

Full fat milk - 3 cups
Rice (nicely washed) - 2 tbsp
Sugar - A little more than 1/4 cup (can be adjusted as per one's sweet preference)
Rose water - 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Chopped pistachios (optional) - for garnishing

P.S - Please do not go for rose essence or extract as it may get over powering, ruining all the taste.

Rose Kheer Tarts with Red Velvet Cookie Crust | Indian Rice Pudding in Red Velvet Cookie Tarts

Method

For Red Velvet Cookie Crust

1. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Add in sugar too and mix nicely.
2. Add in chilled butter and mix in with your fingers until it resembles a bread crumb texture. You can also use a pastry cutter to mix in the butter.
3. Next, add the vanilla extract, red color and chilled milk. Combine everything nicely so that the dough starts coming together.
4. Shape the dough into a ball, flatten with your palms and nicely cover it with a cling wrap.
5. Chill the dough in the fridge for about an hour.
6. Get the dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes. Place the flattened dough between two parchment sheets and roll into about 1/4 inch thick circle.
7. Cut the circle further into mini circles (size of your tart molds).
8. Very gently place these mini circles in the inside of your tart molds and press down with your fingers to shape them properly.
9. Fill these tart molds with raw chana or kidney beans and place in a 180 degrees C preheated oven to bake for 12 to 14 minutes.
10. Once they are baked, get them out of oven. Let them cool on the counter for 5 minutes after which carefully remove the beans. Unmold the cookie crusts and again let them cool completely on a wire rack.
11. Once they are cooled, place in the refrigerator for further use.

For Rose Kheer

1. Pour milk in a saucepan and switch on the flame.
2. Let it come to a boil. Simmer and add washed rice.
3. As the milk simmers, rice would cook and milk would also start thickening. All this while, keep stirring the milk occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.Whole process may take up to 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Once the milk resembles a homogeneous mixture, add sugar, cardamom powder and rose water. Continue stirring for another 5 minutes.
5. Switch off the flame, let it cool to room temperature after which chill it in refrigerator.

For Assembling

1. Fill about a tbsp of kheer in each tart shell and garnish with chopped pistachios. Serve chilled.

Rose Kheer Tarts with Red Velvet Cookie Crust | Indian Rice Pudding in Red Velvet Cookie Tarts

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- Anshu