Tag Archives: Diwali sweets

Badam Katli : Almond squares : GF

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Wish you all a very happy Diwali!

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Sweets are an integral part of any celebration.

Here I present a gluten free dessert.

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I have added a special twist, with a design on top of the katlis. Let me know your feedback.

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Recipe : 15 pieces

Ingredients;

Almond flour                                                2 cups

Milk powder                                                1/3 cup

Sugar                                                         1 cup

Water                                                          1/2 cup

Ghee                                                          1 Tbsp

Saffron                                                        15-20 threads

Milk                                                              2 Tbsps

Method;

Warm the milk. Put the saffron threads in it and leave aside.

Take the sugar and water in a non stick pan on high heat. Let the sugar melt completely. Add the almond flour and keep stirring so that there are no lumps. Add the milk powder and mix together. As soon as the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan put the gas off. Keep stirring for another minute. Let it cool down a bit. Mix it like a dough till it becomes smooth. Take this dough between two wax papers and roll it into a square. Cut it as you prefer squares or diamonds. Garnish with the saffron dipped milk and enjoy!

I have not added any flavour, go ahead and add any flavour you want.

Lauki ki burfi : Bottle gourd fudge for Diwali

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Wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful Diwali.

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This has been such a difficult year for everyone. It will be a very low key affair.

I leave you with this very easy recipe.

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Recipe; 25 bite size piece

Ingredients,

Freshly grated and squeezed bottle gourd                     1 cup

Mawa ( Milk Solids )                                                      1 cup

Ground nuts ( cashew, pistachio, almonds)                    1 cup

Ghee                                                                            3 tbsp

Condensed milk                                                            3/4 cup ( to taste )

Cardamom powder                                                       1 tsp

Green food colour ( optional )                                        4-5 drops

Silver leaf and rose petals                                              To garnish

Method;

Take freshly grated bottle gourd ,Lauki, Squeeze all the water out.

Grind cashew, pistachio and almonds to get a one cup full of the powder.

Mawa is available in Indian grocery store, grate it , if unavailable miik powder can be substituted.

Take a non stick pan on medium heat, add 2 tbsp of ghee. Once it melts, add the lauki, crank the heat down to medium low, Add the Mawa, stir so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. The lauki gets cooked. Throw in the nut powder, condensed milk, cardamom powder and food colour. Mix them all together. Add the last Tbsp of ghee, keep stirring. The moisture evaporates and the mixture leaves the side of the pan and slowly comes together, about 25 minutes. Switch the gas off.

Take a greased plate. Transfer the mixture. Pat the surface smooth and leave it to set for two hours. Transfer the silver leaf if using on top. Cut in pieces, and garnish with rose petals or more nuts.

Enjoy!

Kaju Katli: Cashew fudge, GF, DF

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By  Ratna,

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I  just  read  this  article  in  Saveur  “15  Indian  desserts  that  give  you  a  tour  of  the  country “.  Indian  sweets  are  anything  but  boring.  I  totally  agree  with  the  editors.  The  sweets  can  be  dry  or  dripping  with  syrup,  milk  or  flour  based,  a  vegetable  or  fruit  can  be  the  star  ingredient,  most  of  them  are  even  eggless,  respecting  the  vegetarians.

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Did  you  know  that  sweets  can  be  coated  by  gold  or  silver  leaf?  If  you  have  come  across  some  pictures  of  Indian  movies  or  festivals,  I  bet  you  have  noticed  that  we  like  the  “Bling”.  This  affinity  is  so  strong  that  we  even  like  our  food “Blinged”?  Yup.  You  heard  that  right.

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Festivals  are  incomplete  without  dessert.  Coating  the  desserts  with  a  silver  leaf  also  known  as  “Vark”,  is  quite  common.  This  is  what  I  tried  for  Diwali  this  year.  Cashew  fudges  covered  with  edible  silver  foil.  Kept  in  an  airtight  container  it  will  safely  store  for  two  weeks.  Make  ahead  recipes  always  come  handy  wouldn’t  you  agree?

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Recipe:    Adapted from In house recipes.

Made  about  30-35  pieces.

Ingedients;

Raw,  unsalted  Cashews                                       2  cups ground  fine

Sugar                                                                     1  cup

Water                                                                      1/3  cup

Cardamom  powder                                                 1/2  tsp

Vark   (  optional  )                                                   Two  sheets,  about  6  cms  squared

Method;

Take  the  sugar,  water  and  cardamom  powder  in  a  nonstick  pan  on  high  heat,  till  it  comes  to  a  boil.  Crank  the  heat  down  to  medium  and  let  the  syrup  thicken,  about  3  minutes.  Turn  the  gas  down  to  low  now.  Add  the  cashew  powder.  Keep  stirring  so  that  it  is  lump  free,  doesn’t  stick  to  the  bottom  of  the  pan  and  start  leaving  the  sides  of  the  pan,  about  3  minutes.  Turn  the  gas  off.

Pour  this  mixture  on  a  greased  wax  paper.  Take  another  greased  wax  paper  and  put  it  on  top  of  the  mixture.  Put  the  palm  of  your  hand  on  the  second  wax  paper  and  flatten  it.  Gently  use  a  rolling  pin  to  spread  it  out,  preferably  to  a    square  shape  about  1/3  rd  centimetre  thick.  Remove  the  top  wax  sheet.  Take  a  Pizza  cutter  or  sharp  knife  and  cut  it  in  diamond  shape.

Carry  the  “Vark”  on  the  paper  it  came  with  and  drop  it  gently  on  this  spread.  Press  the  “Vark”  softly  on  to  this  mixture  to  help  stick.  Take  a  sharp  knife  and  gently  run  the  cuts  over  the  Vark  again.  Tease  out  the  pieces  and  enjoy.

Inside  scoop;

Vark  or  edible  silver  foil  is  available  through  Amazon.com.

You  can  cover  all  the  pieces  with  the  Vark, I  have  used  for  a  few  only.