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Festive season celebrations and sweet offerings are synonymous with one another - for the occasion elevates the experience of relishing them. While showcasing regional and seasonal heritage through old-school recipes is always a welcome way to get a deeper understanding of how communities bring in the festivities of Dusshera, having some fun with exciting combinations that combine western concepts with Indian flavours, becomes a great way to pique an interest within the usual standard of festive preparations. Moreover, using techniques like baking instead of deep-frying, tempering and even grilling opens up an exciting world of possibilities - especially when done using Usha’s OTG. Not only can one customise the temperature according to the recipe’s requirement, but also clean it rather easily once the rush of the celebrations has subsided.
Chocolate Khaja
Image Credits: Pexels
The Odisha layered pastry is deliciously flaky when brushed with ghee between the rolled out layers, and attains a golden, crisp texture that is retained even after being dunked into sugar syrup. When one end of the khaja is dipped in melted dark chocolate, it gives the impression of a decadent French breakfast pastry a la palmier. Finish off the preparation with a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt flakes to highlight a hint of savouriness and balance the sweetness.
Gulab Jamun Cheesecake
The wobbly, tender belly of a delicious cheesecake is enriched with a desi addition of melt-in-the-mouth gulab jamuns. Opt to bake the gulab jamuns before soaking them in a saffron-infused sugar syrup, before layering them with the cheesecake batter and baking them a second time around. Garnish with chopped pistachios or slivered almonds for textural contrast and serve bite-sized pieces when still warm and gooey.
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Kesar-Pista Cupcakes
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Even before the Dubai chocolate spotlighted the goodness of pistachio, Indian mithai has been combining it with saffron across a variety of desserts. Replicate the classic flavour combination in cupcake form by using a saffron-infused cake batter to make petit cupcakes that are frosted with a vividly green pistachio buttercream. Go one step further by moistening the cupcakes with saffron-infused milk to maintain their texture for longer periods of time, while enriching their overall taste.
Coconut Barfi Tartlets
If hosting a high tea gathering that is festive themed, baking buttery tart shells before filling it up with a cardamom-flavoured coconut-jaggery filling, can be quite the rewarding experience when bitten into. The caramel notes of the jaggery coupled with the moreishness of dried coconut against crisp tart shells are not only delectable to enjoy alongside a cup of tea or coffee, but also make for a great way to throw together flavours and textures in an unusual manner.
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Rose Milk Macarons
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While fusion dessert varieties like the tres leches, puddings, cookies and cupcakes have embraced the nostalgic flavour of rose milk, giving them new life in macaron form can be quite a satisfying experience. Delicate shells made using aquafaba (chickpea liquid) means that they can be eggless and suitable for vegetarians - while a luscious rose-flavoured icing is sandwiched between the pink-hued shells, once baked and cooled. Serve them decorated with silver warq for added appeal and a handful of seasonal berries, to provide tart contrast.
