Puddings & Custards Middle EasternMedium

Instant Pot Cardamom Tahini Custard with Crispy Phyllo Shards

Name: Instant Pot Cardamom Tahini Custard with Crispy Phyllo Shards
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: ½ cup (120 ml) tahini (raw or roasted), at room temperature; 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, room temperature or warmed; 5 large egg yolks, room temperature; ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar; 8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; ½ tsp (2½ ml) vanilla extract; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt; 4 sheets (4) phyllo dough sheets, thawed if frozen; 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, melted; 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon; ¼ cup (35 g) roasted salted pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A Middle Eastern-inspired dessert featuring a silky tahini-enriched custard infused with warm cardamom, cooked gently in an Instant Pot for perfect creaminess. Topped with golden, crispy phyllo shards that shatter between your teeth. The nutty depth of tahini balances cardamom's floral spice for an elegant finish.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 25 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: 6 servings (about 1 cup custard plus shards per serving)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the custard
½ cup (120 ml) tahini (raw or roasted), at room temperature
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, room temperature or warmed
5 large egg yolks, room temperature
⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt
For the phyllo shards
4 sheets (4) phyllo dough sheets, thawed if frozen
3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
For serving
¼ cup (35 g) roasted salted pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)

Equipment (10)

Instant Pot (6-quart or 8-quart)
Trivet (included with Instant Pot)
Heat-safe bowl or 7-cup custard container that fits inside Instant Pot
Whisk
Medium saucepan
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Pastry brush
Measuring cups and spoons
Thermometer (optional but helpful)

Steps

Before you start

Bring milk to room temperature (warm milk prevents temperature shock when whisking with egg yolks)
Have a tall, heat-safe bowl or 7-cup Instant Pot-safe container ready for the custard
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) for the phyllo shards
Ensure the trivet that came with your Instant Pot is clean and available

1
Toast cardamom in milk
- In a medium saucepan, combine the room-temperature milk with the lightly crushed cardamom pods.
- Set over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer (small bubbles will form around the edge).
- Let simmer for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the milk becomes fragrant and slightly darker.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes to steep, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, discarding the cardamom pods.
- The milk should still be warm.
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Ready when: Milk is fragrant and warm (about 160°F / 71°C), then strained
Tip: Do not boil the milk hard or it may scorch. A gentle simmer extracts cardamom flavor without degrading the dairy.
2
Whisk egg yolks and sugar
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, about 2–3 minutes of whisking.
- The mixture should fall in ribbons from the whisk.
- This step aerates the yolks and begins dissolving the sugar, which prevents the custard from being grainy.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, thick, and falls in ribbons from the whisk
Tip: Use room-temperature egg yolks so they whisk smoothly and emulsify better with the milk.
3
Combine tahini with milk
- In a small bowl, whisk the tahini (at room temperature) with about ½ cup (120 ml) of the warm cardamom-infused milk until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Tahini can be stubborn, so whisk thoroughly to break up any lumps.
- Once smooth, pour this tahini mixture into the remaining cardamom milk and stir until uniform.
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Ready when: Tahini is fully dissolved with no lumps; mixture is smooth and creamy
Tip: Dissolving tahini separately prevents lumps from forming when it hits the warm milk.
4
Temper yolk mixture
- Slowly pour the tahini-milk mixture into the whisked egg yolks and sugar, whisking constantly.
- Pour in a thin stream while whisking to raise the temperature of the yolks gradually (this is tempering).
- Continue whisking for about 1 minute after all the milk is incorporated.
- The mixture should be smooth and homogeneous.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract and salt.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, smooth, and fully combined with no visible yolk streaks
Tip: Tempering prevents scrambling the egg yolks. Never add cold milk directly to hot yolks without slowly raising the temperature.
5
Prepare Instant Pot for pressure cooking
- Pour 1½ cups (360 ml) of water into the Instant Pot and place the trivet (the metal rack) inside.
- Ensure the sealing ring is properly seated on the lid.
- Pour the custard mixture into a heat-safe bowl or 7-cup container that fits inside the Instant Pot without touching the walls.
- Cover the bowl loosely with foil to prevent steam condensation from dripping into the custard.
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Ready when: Water is in the pot, trivet is secure, and custard bowl is on the trivet
Tip: Foil covering prevents water droplets from falling into your custard during cooking.
6
Cook custard under pressure
- Seal the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to "Sealing." Press Pressure Cook (Manual) and set to high pressure for 12 minutes.
- The Instant Pot will take 5–8 minutes to come to pressure (this time is included in the wait).
- Once the timer beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 8 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to "Venting" to release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid away from your face (steam is hot).
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Ready when: Custard is set at the edges but still trembles slightly in the center when gently shaken
Tip: A gentle jiggle in the center is fine—carryover heat will continue cooking it as it cools. Overcooking creates a rubbery texture.
7
Cool custard before serving
- Carefully remove the bowl of custard from the Instant Pot using tongs or oven mitts (it will be hot).
- Let it cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- The custard will set firmly as it chills.
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Ready when: Custard is cold, creamy, and set but still trembles slightly when the bowl is shaken
Tip: Make the custard up to 1 day ahead; the flavors deepen overnight.
8
Preheat oven for phylloOven 350°F / 175°C
- About 20 minutes before you plan to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 350°F (175°C)
9
Prepare phyllo sheets
- Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough on a clean, dry work surface.
- Brush lightly and evenly with melted butter using a pastry brush.
- Sprinkle lightly with a quarter of the combined cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- Lay a second phyllo sheet on top, brush with butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
- Repeat with the remaining two sheets, ending with cinnamon-sugar on top.
- Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the stack into irregular shards roughly 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) long.
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Ready when: Phyllo stack is layered, buttered, and cut into irregular shards
Tip: Keep phyllo dough not in use covered with a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and crack.
10
Bake phyllo shards until crispyOven 350°F / 175°C
- Spread the phyllo shards in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, until the shards are golden brown and crispy throughout.
- Watch them toward the end as they can brown quickly.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or plate to cool completely.
- They will crisp further as they cool.
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Ready when: Shards are evenly golden brown and shatter when snapped
Tip: If your oven runs hot, check at 7 minutes. Phyllo browns quickly once it starts, so don't step away.
11
Assemble and serve
- Spoon the chilled custard into serving bowls or glasses, dividing it evenly among six servings.
- Top each with 2–3 phyllo shards, allowing them to poke out decoratively.
- Scatter with chopped pistachios if using.
- Serve immediately while the shards are still crispy.
- The contrast of cold, creamy custard with warm, shattered phyllo is essential to the dish.
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Ready when: Dessert is assembled and ready to eat
Tip: Don't assemble too far in advance or the phyllo will soften from the humid custard. Assemble just before serving.

Good to know

Tips

The Instant Pot gently cooks the custard without the risk of curdling that comes with direct heat. The key is not overcooking: the custard should tremble slightly in the center when done, as carryover heat will continue setting it.
Tahini's earthy, slightly bitter notes are beautifully balanced by cardamom's warmth and vanilla's sweetness. Taste the chilled custard before serving and add a touch more salt if it feels too sweet.
Phyllo shards are best assembled just before serving. If made ahead, store them separately in an airtight container at room temperature and add to the bowl moments before eating.
This dessert is naturally gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free phyllo dough. It's also dairy-free if you substitute oat or almond milk for whole milk, though the texture will be slightly less rich.

Make ahead

The custard can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled in an airtight container. Bake the phyllo shards up to 8 hours in advance and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Assemble just before serving so the phyllo remains crispy.

Storage & reheating

Custard (without phyllo): Covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze (eggs don't freeze well in this custard). Phyllo shards: Airtight container at room temperature for up to 8 hours; they soften if exposed to humidity or refrigerated.

Substitutions

tahini (raw or roasted) → almond butter or sunflower seed butter. Use the same quantity. Almond butter will be milder and slightly sweeter; sunflower seed butter more neutral. The custard will be equally creamy but with a different flavor profile.
green cardamom pods → ½ teaspoon ground cardamom. Add ground cardamom directly to the milk at the beginning (step 1) and simmer for 1–2 minutes only. Ground spice is more potent than whole pods, so use less and simmer briefly to avoid bitterness.
phyllo dough sheets → store-bought crispy fried onions or toasted breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter. These provide texture and crunch but lack phyllo's delicate shattering. Sprinkle on top just before serving.
roasted salted pistachios → toasted sliced almonds, chopped hazelnuts, or pomegranate seeds. Any of these add color and a contrasting flavor. Pomegranate seeds add tart brightness.