Eid Kheer (Rice Pudding) Pops

Steps

1. 1

   Toast and simmer rice

   • In a medium 2-quart saucepan, add the rinsed basmati rice and whole milk over medium heat.
   • Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
   • The rice will gradually soften and absorb the milk, releasing its starches to create a creamy base.
   • Watch for the milk to reduce by about half, which should take about 15 minutes.
   • The rice grains should be tender and partly broken down.
   • Stir frequently toward the end to prevent sticking on the bottom.

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   Ready when: Rice is tender and milk has reduced by about half; the mixture looks creamy and thick

   Tip: Stir frequently in the last 5 minutes to keep the rice from sticking and burning on the bottom of the pan.

2. 2

   Add saffron and cardamom

   • Pour the saffron threads and their soaked milk into the saucepan along with the lightly crushed cardamom pods.
   • Stir well to distribute the saffron and its golden color evenly throughout the rice mixture.
   • Let it simmer for 2 more minutes on medium heat to allow the cardamom flavor to infuse into the pudding.

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   Ready when: Saffron color is evenly distributed throughout; mixture smells fragrant with cardamom

   Tip: Crushing the cardamom pods slightly breaks them open, allowing their aromatic seeds to release flavor more quickly.

3. 3

   Blend for smoothness

   • Remove the saucepan from heat.
   • If you prefer a silkier, creamier texture, use an immersion blender to pulse the mixture 3–4 times until it reaches a smooth, pudding-like consistency.
   • Leave some very small rice grain pieces for a gentle texture.
   • (Alternatively, leave it chunky if you prefer more rice texture.) Let the mixture cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to release steam.

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   Ready when: Mixture has cooled to warm (not hot) and is pourable

   Tip: Blending slightly creates a luxurious mouthfeel, but don't over-blend or you'll lose all the rice grain texture.

4. 4

   Fold in condensed milk and cream

   • Once the rice mixture has cooled, add the condensed milk, heavy cream, and rose water (if using).
   • Stir gently but thoroughly with a wooden spoon to fold everything together until well combined.
   • The mixture should be creamy and slightly thick but still pourable.

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   Ready when: Condensed milk and cream are fully incorporated; mixture is uniform in color and consistency

   Tip: Fold gently to avoid overworking the mixture, which can make the texture tough.

5. 5

   Mix in nuts and fruit

   • Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the chopped pistachios, almonds, and raisins for garnishing the tops of the pops later.
   • Fold the remaining nuts and raisins into the kheer mixture along with a small pinch of salt.
   • Stir gently until evenly distributed throughout.

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   Ready when: Nuts and raisins are evenly distributed throughout the mixture

   Tip: Holding back some nuts for the top gives each pop a beautiful, studded appearance when frozen.

6. 6

   Fill popsicle molds

   • Divide the kheer mixture evenly among 12 popsicle molds, filling each about three-quarters full (approximately 2.5 oz / 75 ml per mold).
   • Leave a tiny bit of space at the top for the mixture to expand slightly as it freezes.
   • Sprinkle a few of the reserved nuts on top of each mold—they'll stick as the mixture freezes.

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   Ready when: All 12 molds are filled evenly and garnished

   Tip: Use a small spoon or ladle to fill molds evenly and avoid overfilling, which makes it hard to insert the sticks.

7. 7

   Insert sticks and freeze

   • If your molds have built-in stick holders, insert the popsicle sticks and click the lids into place.
   • If using molds without lids, carefully insert a stick into the center of each pop.
   • Place the filled molds on a level surface in the freezer for about 2 hours, until the mixture is partially frozen and thick enough to hold the sticks upright without tipping.
   • Then leave in the freezer for the remaining 6 hours, or until completely solid (overnight is easiest).

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   Ready when: Pops are completely solid when inserted with a stick; pushing on the stick meets firm resistance

   Tip: Freezing in stages helps the sticks stay centered. If sticks keep falling, freeze for 2 hours first, insert sticks, then finish freezing.

8. 8

   Unmold and serve

   • Run warm water over the outside of each mold for 5–10 seconds to slightly soften the exterior and release the pop.
   • Gently wiggle and pull the stick to remove each pop.
   • Serve immediately, or wrap individually in parchment paper and store in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.

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   Ready when: Pop slides out of mold easily with a gentle wiggle

   Tip: Keep pops on sticks and eat them slowly; they melt faster than ice pops because of the milk and cream content.