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Useful Tips:
When to serve sweets Reduced fats and sugar Eggless custard cream Low fat version Caramel sauce
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Pistachio Halava
Melt 200 gr butter or vegetable margarine in a saucepan, then add 200 gr of semolina (suji) and slightly roast for 5 minutes on slow fire, stirring. Add 200 gr shelled and ground pistachio nuts, stir and add 1/2 liter milk and 200 gr sugar. Stir and let the halava absorb all the liquid. Turn off the fire and let it cool slightly before scooping out balls to serve.
Layered SandeshPrepare a basic Sandesh with 3 liters of milk, then while it's still hot, divide it in 6 parts (or as many parts as you want according to the number of different flavors/colors you will prepare). Keep one or more parts white, with the basic rose water flavor. Mix the other parts each with one of the following:
- cocoa powder - strawberry jam - apricot jam - saffron powder - pounded pistachio nuts
Arrange a layer of one color in a square container, then sprinkle the surface with a little water and spread the second layer; repeat for the third layer. Let cool well before cutting the layered Sandesh into squares.
JallebiMix 300 gr white flour with 100 gr plain yoghurt, 100 gr icing sugar, a pinch of saffron powder, and just enough water to make a thick batter. The original recipe requires the batter to ferment for the whole night in very warm temperature, but you can speed up the process by adding 10 gr baking yeast to the batter: in this case 30 minutes are sufficient. In the meantime prepare a suryp with 300 gr sugar and 1 cup water. Fill a pastry pouch with the batter and squeeze the batter into the hot oil or Clarified butter to make swirls (about 5 cm deep in the pan). Cook the jallebis to golden brown, draining and then dropping each in the hot syrup and a few seconds. Drain from the syrup and pile up in a serving plate.
Carrot HalavaGrate 500 gr carrots and stir fry them with 100 gr butter and a large pinch of cardamom seeds for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 liter of milk and let cook until all the liquid is absorbed. Then add 200 gr brown sugar and 100 gr raisins and stir well. Deep fry 100 gr cashew nuts and add them to the carrot halva at the time of serving. If you want to use less butter, cook the carrots in milk first and when they are soft add the sugar and raisins and 25 gr of butter only. Stir well before serving.
Creme CaramelPrepare a Caramel Sauce with 300 gr of sugar. Line generously the small individual pudding moulds or glass bowls. Prepare a basic Eggless Custard Cream and add 1 cup of fresh milk cream or thick soya sauce. Pour the custard in the moulds and let it cool at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge for at least 1 hour. Unmould the small puddings unto individual serving plates and pour over any caramel left from the bottom of the moulds.
Peach PuddingWash, cut and peel 6 large peaches, then process them in a blender to a puree with the juice of 2 lemons and 4 spoons of peach jam. Separatey heat 4 spoons agar agar (seaweed) gelatine flakes in 1 cup of water, add 2 spoons cornstarch and cook about about 3 minutes, until the liquid becomes translucent. Let it cool a little, then blend with the peach puree. Pour the mixture in the mould (sprinkled with icing sugar) and let cool to room temperature, then continue setting in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
Caramel HalavaMelt 100 gr butter or vegetable margarine in a saucepan, then add 300 gr of semolina (suji) and slightly roast for 5 minutes on slow fire, stirring. In the meantime in a separate pot melt 300 gr sugar until it becomes golden brown, then add 50 gr butter and 1/2 liter milk. Let the milk dissolve the caramel, then add it to the semolina. Also add 100 gr large seedless raisins. Stir and let the halava absorb all the liquid. Turn off the fire and let it cool slightly before serving.
CastagnaccioMix 300 gr chestnut flour with a pinch of salt, a spoon of sugar, a spoon of baking soda, 4 spoons of oil (preferably olive oil), 100 gr pine nuts and 200 gr raisins. Grease a baking pan with a little oil. Add water to the chestnut flour to obtain a thick batter, then pour into the baking pan. Sprinkle with rosemary (and some more pine nuts and raisin for decoration if you like). Bake at 180 Celsius for about 30 minutes.
Orange Tofu DessertWash 4 nice oranges and cut 4 or large central slices from each orange for decoration. Squeeze the juice and pulp out from the rest. Prepare 400 gr of Sweet tofu cream, add the juice and pulp of the oranges, 100 gr Candied orange peel, 100 gr raisins and 100 gr slivered almonds (or cashews). Arrange the orange slices in glass bowls and fill with the cream. Serve chilled.
Coconut BurfiUse 500 gr fresh coconut meal or 250 gr dessiccated shredded coconut (rehydrated, it should be around 500 gr). Put the shredded coconut meal in a shallow pan and add a pinch of vanilla, 25 gr. butter and 200 gr white sugar (powdered or icing sugar). Cook, stirring, until the coconut becomes translucent and the syrup has been absorbed. Let the Burfi cool and make small balls. You can roll them in fresh shredded coconut or cover them with melted chocolate. Serve chilled.
Plum PuddingSoak 200 gr pitted prunes in the juice of 2 lemons for at least 2 hours. Wash, cut and peel 500 gr red plums, then process them in a blender to a puree with the prunes and 100 gr ricotta or cream cheese. Separatey heat 4 spoons agar agar (seaweed) flakes in 1 cup of water, add 2 spoons cornstarch and cook about about 3 minutes, until the liquid becomes translucent. Let it cool a little, then blend with the fruit puree. Pour the mixture in the mould (sprinkled with icing sugar) and let cool to room temperature, then continue setting in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
Biscuit Mock SausageCrumble 200 gr dry (Marie) biscuits in a bowl. Add 200 gr cocoa powder, 150 gr icing sugar, 300 gr assorted nuts (almonds, cashews etc). Mix in about 200 gr softened butter or vegetable margarine, just enough to keep the mix together firmly. Press very well, then transfer the mix on a kitchen towel generously sprinkled with icing sugar. Roll up the "mock sausage" and tie, then keep in the fridge at least 4 hours to harden it well. At the time of serving remove the roll from the towel and slice it.
Custard SavarinA Savarin is a pudding filled with fruits, sweet sauces etc. You can use any kind of pudding,such as Creme Caramel (just skip the Caramel sauce), Peach Pudding or Plum Pudding or other similar desserts. Prepare the mould sprinkling with icing sugar, then make a small heap of cooked fruits in the middle. Pour the warm pudding around and over the cooked fruits, fill the mould and let set. At the time of serving, unmould the pudding on a serving plate and finish garnishing with more fruit, Fruit Sauces, whipped cream etc.
Monte BiancoThis traditional north Italian dessert is made with fresh or dried chestnuts. If dried, soak the chestnuts in warm water for at least 3 hours before using them. Then put 500 gr peeled chestnuts in 1 liter milk and boil until they are very soft. If you use a pressure cooker you will need less milk. When the chestnuts are soft process them in a blender, add 150 gr brown sugar, one spoon of cocoa powder, a pinch of vanilla or cinnamon, then put them back on the fire to absorb all the liquid. Let the puree cool, then squeeze it through a sieve into a serving plate. Decorate with whipped cream.
Blanc MangerA famous Middle Ages recipe. Soak 300 gr blanched almonds in warm water for at least 3 hours, then blend them smoothly with 1 cup of milk. Put the mixture on slow fire, stirring, until it boils. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon or allspice and a little almond extract. Dissolve 4 spoons of cornstarch into 1 cup of milk and add to the almond milk mixture. Stir, heating for another 3 minutes until the mixture becomes thick. Add 2 spoons rose water or orange flower water. If necessary process it again with an immersion blender. Pour the pudding into the mould and let set as usual, at least 3 hours in the fridge. Unmould and decorate with pounded pistachio nuts just before serving.
Cereal Flakes DessertA richer version of the traditional British rolled oats pudding. Mix 300 gr of mixed cereal flakes (oats, rice, corn, wheat, barley etc), 100 gr raisins and 100 gr brown sugar. Quickly heat them with 2 cups milk or soya milk, stirring quickly, until they become thick. At this point add 2 diced apples, a pinch of cinnamon and (optional) a little butter or vegetable margarine. You can garnish with whipped cream if served chilled, or with Caramel sauce or Chocolate sauce if served warm.
Chocolate Fudge
Mix 200 gr of cornstarch with a little water to form a paste. Melt one spoon of butter or margarine in a saucepan, add 2 spoons milk cream (or thick soya milk), 100 gr sugar, 100 gr brown sugar, a pinch of salt, 200 gr cocoa powder, and add the cornstarch paste, stirring. Keep cooking on a slow fire until you get a soft ball. Add 200 gr slivered almonds, a pinch of vanilla, and mix well. Pour the mixture in a greased tray and let cool well before cutting it in squares.
Persimmon MoussePeel 4 medium size ripe persimmon fruits and blend them in a food processor with 200 gr cream cheese or ricotta cheese and 100 gr icing sugar. In alternative you can use 300 gr Sweet Tofu Cream. Serve chilled. You can make a Mousse in the same way with:
- mangoes - papaya - strawberry - berries - apricots - banana - cocoa powder (Chocolate Mousse)
Candied GingerSoak 300 gr fresh ginger in warm water for at least 1 hour to remove any mud or sand, then break it up and scrape away the peel gently from the pieces. Slice the fresh ginger (3 mm thick slices) and put in a saucepan with 300 gr sugar and 1 cup of water. Cook until the ginger slices are translucent and the syrup is thick. Remove the ginger pieces and let them dry for at least 3 hours before putting them away in a jar. The longer they dry, the longer they will keep. If you want to have really soft candied ginger, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can use candied ginger as a decoration for sweets and ice creams, or simply as a sweet treat in cold wheather (it is very good for sore throat, colds and difficult digestion).
Caramel LolliesMelt 200 gr brown sugar in a saucepan, over a slow fire, until it becomes golden brown. Pour the caramel in small puddles on a greased surface, preferably marble. Arrange 100 gr chopped or pounded nuts over the puddles, then before the caramel gets cold push a bamboo skewer (blunted) into each to make a stick. When the caramel is cold and hard, gently remove the lollies with a spatula. Keep in a tin box, wrapped in waxed paper, and in a cool dry place.
Bread BreakfastFor this recipe you can also recycle stale bread (not too old, though!) Slice and dice 300 gr whole wheat bread, sprinkle with 4 spoons fresh milk or soya milk and cinnamon powder and let sit for about 30 minutes. Heat 25 gr butter or vegetable margarine in a non-sticking pan and stir fry 100 gr cashews. Drain and set aside. Now stir fry 100 gr raisins, then drain and set aside. Put the bread pieces in the pan and stir fry until they are golden brown. Add 100 gr brown sugar and let the sugar melt well and coat the bread. Finally add the nuts and raisins, stir well and transfer to serving cups.
Coconut Chocolate ToffeesUse 200 gr of fresh coconut or 100 gr dessiccated coconut (redhydrated). Mix with 100 gr ricotta or cream cheese or soft tofu, add 100 gr icing sugar and a pinch of vanilla extract. Make small balls and cover them with melted chocolate. Before the chocolate hardens sprinkle with finely shredded coconut.
Chocolate CupsMelt a 250 gr chocolate bar and line small paper cups. Let the chocolate set before filling the chocolate cups. You can use the following fillings:
- Fondant - Marzipane - Chocolate Mousse - Sweet tofu cream
Top with decorations: Candied violets, Candied orange peels, chocolate drops, etc.
Nut Chocolate DiamondsMelt one 125 gr white chocolate bar with one 125 gr milk chocolate bar. Mix in 300 gr assorted chopped nuts (almond, cashew, hazelnut, walnut) and raisin. You can also add a drop of rhum flavor. Spread the melted chocolate mix on a tin foil and let cool well before cutting in diamonds.
Sesame BallsSlightly roast 300 gr sesame seeds in a pan, then transfer in a plate. In the same pan melt 25 gr butter or vegetable margarine and roast 200 gr whole wheat flour for 5 minutes, stirring, until the flour gives a cookie smell. Transfer to the plate with the sesame seeds. Put the pan back to the fire and melt 100 gr butter or margarine with 300 gr brown sugar (preferably rich in molasses), then add 2 spoons water and cook for about 10 minutes. When the syrup is thick add the flour and sesame seeds, and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes. Remove from the fire and let it cool sufficiently before shaping small balls. Let the Sesame balls cool well before serving.
Vermicelli PouchesMelt 100 gr butter or margarine in a pan, then add 1/4 liter of milk and 300 gr vermicelli. Stir well cooking for 2 minutes only, then sprinkle with 100 gr brown sugar and remove from the fire. Prepare the filling: mix 200 of chopped or pounded nuts with 100 gr condensed sweetened milk and make a paste. Divide the paste in 8 parts, then wrap each portion into a "nest" of vermicelli and lay them in a baking tray. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 15 minutes until the vermicelli layer is crunchy, let cool and serve.
Besan LadduMelt 200 gr butter or margarine in a pot, then add 300 gr chickpea flour and cook stirring until the flour becomes golden brown. When the chickpea flour is cooked you can also add 100 gr dessiccated coconut and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Add 200 gr icing sugar and mix well. Transfer in moulds or in a square metal container - shake the moulds or container to set the Laddu well. Let cool well before cutting or unmoulding it.
Corn and Cheese DiamondsSlightly roast 300 gr cornmeal in a pan, stirring for about 15 minutes over a slow fire. Add 100 gr butter or margarine and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. In the meantime heat 1/2 liter of milk with 200 gr sugar and a pinch of ground cardamom seeds. When the sugar has melted, add 200 gr of ricotta cheese or well kneaded cottage cheese. Pour the milk and cheese into the cornmeal and stir well. Continue cooking until the liquid is absorbed, then remove from the fire and spread in a square container to cool well before cutting.
Dvaraka BurfiMelt 200 gr butter in a pot, add 300 gr chickpea flour (besan) and cook stirring until the chickpea flour is golden brown. In the meantime heat 1/2 liter of milk with 200 gr brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved. You cam also add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add the sweetened milk to the chickpea flour mix and stir well, until the milk is all absorbed. Remove from the fire and press into a baking pan or a similar container. At this point you can decorate the surface with cashew nuts or half walnuts etc. Let cool well before cutting into squares.
Sweet SandwichesSprinkle 8 slices of whole wheat bread with a little milk and heat them in a non-stick pan with a little butter until they are crunchy. Separately heat 200 gr of sweetened condensed milk with 100 gr khoya or powdered milk, and a pinch of ground cardamom seeds. Stir well, then pour a little on each bread slice. Sprinkle with slivered pistachio nuts and serve warm.
Apricot Mango HalavaThis particular halava is made of fruits and cornstarch instead of semolina. Clean and chop 2 medium mangoes and 6 fresh apricots, then add 200 gr sugar, a glass of water, a pinch of vanilla extract. Cook over slow fire, in a covered pot, until the fruits are tender. Let them cool enough, then process them in the blender with 2 spoons cornstarch until you obtain a smooth puree. Put the puree back on a slow fire and cook stirring for about 5 minutes. Spread the halava in a greased tray and let cool well before cutting in squares. In India, sweets are often covered with a thin sheet of silver or gold.
Hazelnut Chocolate Cream
There are several commercial versions of this recipe in shops, but not all of them are really vegetarian, as often manufacturers use "edible fats" to make a smooth product. You can make a great Hazelnut Chocolate Cream at home in this way. Shell 500 gr hazelnuts, slightly roast or deep fry them in corn oil until they are golden brown. Let them cool enough to grind them in the food processor. Add 200 gr brown sugar and 200 gr of melting chocolate and blend until you get a smooth cream. You can make your cream thicker by adding cocoa powder or thinner by adding hazelnut oil, or almond oil or even corn or peanut oil. This cream can be served as a simple and quick snack with bread, or used to fill pastries or cakes, or as a topping. You can also make a Peanut Chocolate Cream by substituting shelled roasted (unsalted) peanuts for the hazelnuts. Similarly, you can make the Almond Chocolate Cream or Cashew Chocolate Cream by substituting respectively blanched and roasted almonds or shelled roasted Cashews, or raw almonds or cashew
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When to serve sweets
Sweets are usually very popular with children. More than half of the junk food consumed by children and teenagers consists of sweets. The combination between sugars and fats is particularly rich and adds greatly to body weight, but if you make your own sweets at home you will at least be able to control the ingredients. Making sweets at home and keeping some in the fridge or in the kitchen cabinet will go a long way in keeping your kids away from junk commercial food.
Sweets of all kinds are better served alone, and not at the end of a regular meal.
Serve sweets as a separate meal (which replaces breakfast, lunch or dinner) together with some herbal tea, cold drink, drinking chocolate or hot milk. This will help digestion because sugary foods tend to ferment quickly in our digestive system, and if consumed at the end of an important meal they will be digested only after all the rest has been digested. So fermentation is almost inevitable. The negative side effects of sugar fermentation in the digestive tract are:
- drowsiness - heavyness in the body - liver complications - higher risk of diabetes - higher weight gain - formation of gas - irritable colon - colics and ulcers
On the other hand, when consumed separately, fermentation is avoided. Furthermore, since usually sweets and desserts are very satisfying, a separate meal with a moderate quantity of sweets will reduce the risk of overeating that is almost inevitable when sweets are consumed at the end of a regular meal.
Reduced fats and sugars
Making your own sweets at home also allows you to regulate the amount of fats and sugar. The recipes given in these pages can be adjusted to suit your tastes and nutritional needs.
For example, in many recipes butter or margarine can be substituted by milk cream or yoghurt.
Ricotta cheese is also a low fat ingredient that can be substituted for milk cream in mousses and creams.
Condensed yoghurt made from skimmed milk is a great substitute for whipped cream in decorations and for making layers in cakes. It is also a perfect substitute of milk cream in ice-creams.
Eggless Custard Cream
Melt 50 gr butter or margarine on a slow fire, add 50 gr wheat flour and keep heating and stirring until the flour smells like cookies. In the meantime heat 1/4 liter milk with 3 spoons of agar agar flakes, stir well and quickly and then add 200 gr. sugar. Turn the fire off , whip or blend nicely, adding a teaspoon of fresh carrot juice for color.
Low-fat version
You can make a nice Custard cream virtually without fats in the following way Dissolve 4 spoons of cornstarch in a small cup of skimmed milk. Add 1 spoon of sugar, a good pinch of saffron and mix well. Heat 1/2 liter of milk in a pot, with 4 spoons agar agar (seaweed) gelatine flakes, for about 3 minutes. Then add the diluted cornstarch and cook stirring for 5 minutes, until the cream thickens. Pour in the mould before it becomes cold and set.
Caramel Sauce
Melt 200 gr sugar on a low flame, and when it becomes dark brown add a spoon of butter and 4 spoons hot water (one spoon at the time, stirring). Use this sauce to line the pudding moulds. |
