Sweet Nothings: 3 Authentic Sweet Recipes

The season if festivities demands indulgences, and what’s a festival without authentic sweets?

1. Coconut Laddoos

Ingredients:

1 cup desiccated coconut + extra for rolling

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

12 raw almonds, chopped

1 tsp ghee

 

Method:

1. Heat the ghee and toast the almonds until golden. Remove, drain and set aside.
2. To the same pan, add the desiccated coconut and condensed milk. Mix well and cook on low flame until the mixture starts to roll into a ball (about eight minutes). Remove and cool slightly.
3. Mix in the almonds, and cool the mixture further. 
4. Make laddoos and roll them in the extra desiccated coconut.

 

2. Sweet Boondi Kheer Ice Cream

Ingredients:

3 tsp pistachio flakes

1 tsp cardamom powder

½ tsp rose water

¾ cup sweet boondi (or two boondi laddoos)

5 tbsp sugar

5 bay leaves

A few strands of saffron

1 tsp full-fat milk, warmed

5 cups full-fat milk

 

Method:

1. Dissolve the saffron in one teaspoon of warm milk. Set aside. 
2. Heat five cups of milk with the bay leaves in a non-stick frying pan on a medium flame, bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from the flame, and cool completely.
3. Add the pistachio flakes, cardamom powder, rose water, and sweet boondi and freeze for a few hours before serving.

 

3. Gulab Jamun Trifle

Ingredients:

1 tsp rose petals, chopped 

1 tsp almonds, chopped

4 gulab jamuns, cubed

1 tsp pistachios, chopped

1 tsp rose water

2 tbsp gulkand (rose petal preserve)

1 cup whipped cream

 

Method:

1. Beat the rose water, gulkand, and whipped cream together. Set aside. 
2. Divide the gulab jamun cubes into four shot glasses. Top with the whipped cream mixture.
3. Garnish with the rose petals, almonds and pistachios.
4. Chill for a few hours. Serve cold.