Strawberry, Hazelnut & Ginger Kulfi
Makes: 500ml unfrozen kulfi
Total preparation time: 20 minutes plus infusing and freezing time
Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans
The recipe below is for the Blueberry, Almond & Cardamom version.
Variations:
Follow the same recipe and method substituting flavours as below:
Blueberry, Almond & Cardamom - 160g blueberries, sliced, fresh; 20g almonds, sliced; 1 teaspoon finely crushed cardamoms.
Cherry, Pecan Nuts & Cinnamon - 200g cherries, fresh, pitted; 20g pecan nuts, crushed using a pestle and mortar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon
This recipe for kulfi is very quick and easy to make and as such ‘naughty but nice’. The traditional method of condensing whole milk is healthier (no cream needed) but extremely time consuming.
Tip: adjust flavours according to taste
Strawberry, Hazelnut & Ginger Kulfi
Ingredients (vegan version where different in brackets):
125ml whole milk (125ml almond milk)
½ (c. 198ml) small tin sweetened condensed milk (½ small tin vegan sweetened condensed milk)
160g strawberries, fresh, halved/quartered
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
150ml double cream (150ml Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat)
20g hazelnuts, sliced
Method (same for both versions):
Place the prepared berries, water and sugar in a small pan, cover and bring to simmering point on low to medium heat.
Turn the heat down and simmer gently for 5 - 10 minutes with the lid on the pan until the berries have softened. Mash with a potato masher.
Pass the softened berries through a sieve retrieving as much fruit flesh as possible. Stir in the ground ginger, allow to cool. Cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Pour the milk and condensed milk into another small pan and bring to a slow simmer on low to medium heat.
Take off the heat and allow to cool.
Once cooled, pour the milk/condensed milk mixture into a medium to large bowl, add the berry pulp and cream, combine with a metal spoon and then whisk for a few minutes to aerate.
Fold in the sliced hazelnuts and pour into ice cream moulds/dariole moulds up to about half a centimetre from the top of the moulds.
Freeze for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Cover the dariole moulds with foil before putting in the freezer.
To serve, remove from the freezer and allow the mould stand for a few minutes at room temperature and/or run mould under warm water to separate the kulfi from the mould. Enjoy!
Elderflower & Almond Cake (gluten-free and vegan)
Serves: 10 - 12 slices
Prep: 15 minutes. Bake: 18 minutes for sandwich cake/40 minutes for drizzle cake
Suitable for: those on a vegan and gluten-free diet
A delicious vegan and gluten free fragrant cake - two versions either sandwich as shown in photo below or loaf with elderflower cordial drizzle
Elderflower & Almond Sandwich Cake using home-made Elderflower Cordial
Ingredients:
‘Dry Ingredients’
175g gluten-free self raising flour, sifted
25g teff flour, sifted (can use chickpea flour instead)
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder, sifted
⅛ teaspoon of xanthan gum, sifted
115g ground almonds
70g coconut sugar
200ml elderflower cordial, home-made
75ml rapeseed oil
Oil for greasing a loaf tin/sandwich tins
Icing sugar for dusting, optional
Elderflower Drizzle:
100g icing sugar, sifted
6 teaspoons of elderflower cordial, more or less depending on consistency of the drizzle.
Elderflower Buttercream
55g vegan butter, room temperature (I used Naturli Vegan Block)
110g icing sugar, sifted
1 - 2 tablespoons of elderflower cordial
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 6.
Grease and line with greaseproof paper either a 1lb/450g loaf tin or two 7½inch/19cm sandwich tins.
Weigh out all the dry ingredients except for the sugar in a bowl and combine to mix through.
Pour the oil and the cordial in a large bowl, add the sugar and stir through
Add half the dry ingredients and stir with a metal spoon to combine. Add the remaining dry ingredients, first stir with a metal spoon and then gently whisk until fully combined and no lumps remain.
Pour the cake mixture into the greased and lined loaf tin or two sandwich tins and spread evenly using a spatula
Place in the oven. Bake the sandwich tins for 18 minutes and the loaf tin for 40 minutes until browned and baked through (check by passing a skewer through the centre of the cakes and it will come out clean if baked).
Remove from the oven. As soon as the tin(s) is/are cool enough to handle remove the cake and cool on a wire rack.
In the meantime, make the elderflower drizzle or butter cream (or both if you prefer to drizzle the sandwich cake too).
For the elderflower drizzle combine the cordial with icing sugar until fully blended, smooth and of a pouring consistency.
Beat the butter and icing sugar together until smooth. Add the cordial and beat through.
Once the cake is cool, drizzle the elderflower drizzle over the top of the loaf cake and allow drizzle to set.
Sandwich Cake - once the sponges have cooled, spread the elderflower cream evenly over one half of the cake and place the other half on top. Either drizzle elderflower drizzle over the top or dust with icing sugar.
Slice, serve and enjoy.
Passionfruit and Ginger Kulfi (vegan and non-vegan versions)
Makes: depends on size of ice cream mould. I used lollipop type moulds for the non-vegan version and made 11 and 100ml dariole moulds for the vegan version and made 5.
Total preparation time: 20 minutes plus infusing and freezing time
Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans
This recipe for kulfi is very quick and easy to make and as such ‘naughty but nice’. The traditional method of condensing whole milk is healthier (no cream needed) but extremely time consuming.
Passion Fruit Ice Cream
Ingredients (vegan version where different in brackets):
125ml whole milk (125ml almond milk)
½ (c. 198ml) small tin sweetened condensed milk (½ small tin vegan sweetened condensed milk)
3 teaspoons of finely ginger powder
90 - 100ml passionfruit pulp, strained to remove seeds
150ml double cream (150ml Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat)
Method (same for both versions):
Pour the milk and condensed milk into a small pan and bring to a slow simmer on low to medium heat.
Add the ginger powder and simmer very gently for a few minutes. Take off the heat and leave to stand at room temperature for half an hour or so.
Add the passionfruit pulp and cream, combine with a metal spoon. Whisk for a few minutes to aerate.
Pour into ice cream moulds/dariole moulds up to about half a centimetre from the top of the moulds. Freeze for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Where the moulds have no lids, cover them with foil before putting in the freezer.
Enjoy! Let the mould stand for a few minutes at room temperature and/or run mould under warm water to separate the kulfi from the mould.
Mango & Cardamom Kulfi (vegan and non-vegan versions)
Makes: depends on size of ice cream mould. I used lollipop type moulds for the non-vegan version and made 11 and 100ml dariole moulds for the vegan version and made 5.
Total preparation time: 20 minutes plus infusing and freezing time
Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans
This recipe for kulfi is very quick and easy to make and as such ‘naughty but nice’. The traditional method of condensing whole milk is healthier (no cream needed) but extremely time consuming.
Tip: for a fruitier flavour add more mango pulp
Mango Kulfi. Non-vegan version - the pink ice-cream mould. Vegan - dariole mould with pistachio nuts on top
Ingredients (vegan version where different in brackets):
125ml whole milk (125ml almond milk)
½ (c. 198ml) small tin sweetened condensed milk (½ small tin vegan sweetened condensed milk)
1 teaspoon of finely crushed cardamoms
100ml mango pulp (tinned)
150ml double cream (150ml Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat)
20g pistachio nuts, chopped
Method (same for both versions):
Warm the milk, stir the crushed cardamoms and allow to cool. Cover the pan and set aside for about an hour to allow the cardamom flavours to infuse.
Pour the mango pulp, milk/cardamom infusion, cream and condensed milk into a bowl, combine with a metal spoon and then whisk for a few minutes to ensure fully blended and to aerate.
Fold in the crushed pistachio nuts and pour into ice cream moulds/dariole moulds up to about half a centimetre from the top of the moulds. Freeze for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Where the moulds have no lids, cover them with foil before putting in the freezer.
Enjoy! Let the mould stand for a few minutes at room temperature and/or run mould under warm water to separate the kulfi from the mould.
Lime Drizzle Mango & Cardamom Cake (egg and gluten-free)
Serves: 10 - 12 slices
Prep: 15 minutes. Bake: 30 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians and those on an egg and gluten-free diet.
A delicious gluten free cake using Indian mangoes in season
Lime Drizzle Mango & Cardamom Cake
Ingredients:
‘Dry Ingredients’
150g gluten-free self raising flour, sifted
40g buckwheat flour, sifted (can use gluten-free self raising flour as an option)
1 teaspoon of finely crushed cardamoms
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder, sifted
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, sifted
‘Wet Ingredients’
250g mango pulp (I used a tinned version)
397g (small tin) sweetened condensed milk
40g unsalted butter/ghee, melted
Oil for greasing a loaf tin
Lime Drizzle:
100g icing sugar, sifted
6 teaspoons of lime juice, more or less depending on consistency of the drizzle.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 6
Grease a 1lb/450g loaf tin, no need to line.
Melt the butter/ghee on a low heat and allow to cool.
Place all the ‘dry ingredients’ in a bowl and mix the contents to blend.
Pour the mango pulp and condensed milk in a large bowl. Add the butter/ghee once cooled and whisk these three ingredients thoroughly until fully incorporated and aerated.
Add the dry ingredients and mix them in gently with a metal spoon then whisk to combine all the ingredients together.
Pour this cake mixture into the greased loaf tin and ensure mixture is evenly spread using a spatula
Bake in the over for 30 - 40 minutes until browned and baked through (check by passing a skewer through the centre of the loaf and it will come out clean if baked).
Remove from the oven. As soon as the loaf tin is cool enough to handle remove the cake from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
In the meantime, make the lime drizzle by combining lime juice with icing sugar until fully blended, smooth and of a pouring consistency.
Once the cake is cool, drizzle the lime drizzle over the top, allow drizzle to set.
Slice and serve.
As it’s a moist cake it can be kept at room temperature for a couple of days and up to five days in the fridge. It freezes well too in an airtight container lined with parchment paper.
Badam (Almond) Barfi
Makes: 20 pieces
Suitable for: Vegetarians, Vegans and those on a gluten free diet
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Making barfi time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
A popular barfi for any occasion in particular Diwali, the Festival of Lights. It’s quick and easy to make too.
Badam Barfi
Ingredients:
200g ground almonds
125g granulated white sugar
90ml water
½ teaspoon of crushed cardamoms or 1 teaspoon of rose water, optional
few strands of saffron, optional
a few sliced pistachios for garnishing
Method:
Dissolve the sugar in the water on medium heat stirring occasionally. Add the crushed cardamoms.
Turn the heat down to just simmering point and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Add the ground almonds and stirring gently to ensure they combine without forming lumps.
Continue to stir over a low/medium heat for a further 5 minutes or so until mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan turning down the heat further if it starts sticking.
Test the mixture to see if it is ready by taking out a small amount with a teaspoon. Allow it to cool and then roll between your fingers. If it forms a smooth round ball cleanly without sticking to your fingers, the mixture is ready.
Remove from the heat and transfer to a shallow bowl or plate and allow to cool.
Once cool enough to handle, knead the almond mixture for a few minutes to make the almonds less grainy, smooth and slightly glossy.
Sprinkle a few strands of saffron over the mixture and knead gently in the palm of one hand with the fingers of the other for a minute or so.
Roll out the mixture between two sheets of greaseproof paper into a rectangular shape about 1cm thick.
Allow the barfi to cool down completely and then cut the barfi into diamond shapes with a sharp knife.
Serve the barfi as an after meal treat or with a cup of tea time chai.
This barfi can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days depending on the ambient temperature.
Besan Barfi
Makes: 20 - 24 pieces
Suitable for: Vegetarians and those on a gluten free diet
Preparation time: 5 minutes Roasting Besan: 30 minutes Sugar Syrup: 10 minutes
Total time: 45 - 50 minutes
Besan Barfi
Ingredients:
300g besan (gram/chickpea flour), sifted
180g ghee
180g granulated white sugar
150ml water
1 teaspoon of crushed cardamoms
20g pistachios, sliced
19cm diameter tin (sandwich cake tin), greased with a little ghee
Method:
Cooking the Besan:
Melt the ghee in a large flat bottomed pan on low heat.
Add the besan about a third at a time and mix with the ghee until both have combined thoroughly between each addition.
Continue to cook on low heat stirring continuously. At this stage the mixture will look slightly granular and thick but as the besan cooks in the ghee the mixture will become softer, molten and start leaving the sides of the pan becoming one big mass. It will become more molten as the cooking process continues.
After about 25 - 30 minutes the mixture will turn golden brown in colour and a nutty aroma will exude signalling the besan has been thoroughly cooked/
Stir in the crushed cardamoms and most of the sliced pistachios, keeping some aside to sprinkle on top.
Take off the heat and allow to cool.
Making the Syrup:
Combine the water and sugar in a pan. Stir and allow to dissolve on low to medium heat.
Once melted, bring to a simmer.
Simmer gently on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally until a syrup of 1 - 2 thread consistency forms (about 10 minutes).
To test consistency, place a drop of the syrup onto a plate and allow it to cool for 15 - 30 seconds. Scoop the drop with your fore finger and, using your thumb gently pull it about half to once centimetre away from the finger, a thread should form in-between. This is known as ‘thread consistency’. The mixture should form one and half to two thin ‘threads’
Take off the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
Putting it all together:
Being careful, gently pour the sugar syrup into the besan mixture and mix it in quickly and vigorously until the combined mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan (the besan mixture will begin to harden fairly quickly). This will take a few minutes.
Tip: This process should be carried out away from you towards the back of the stove to avoid splashes of hot syrup.
Place the mixture in the greased tin and flatten evenly with a spatula.
Sprinkle the sliced pistachios over the top and gently press into the mixture with a spatula.
Whilst still warm, cut the barfi into squares/diamond shapes.
Cool and enjoy.
Store in an air-tight container for up to week at room temperature.
Serve as a dessert or snack with a hot cup of chai.
Kaju (Cashew Nut) Barfi
Makes: 14 pieces
Suitable for: Vegetarians, Vegans and those on a gluten free diet
Preparation time: 15 minutes Making barfi time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
A popular barfi for any occasion in particular Diwali, the Festival of Lights. It’s quick and easy to make too.
Kaju Barfi
Ingredients:
200g cashew nuts, halved
125g - 150g granulated white sugar
100ml water
½ teaspoon of crushed cardamoms or 1 teaspoon of rose water, optional
few strands of saffron, optional
Method:
Infuse the flavour of the cardamoms by placing them in 100ml of warm water. Keep on the hob with the heat on its very lowest setting (about 15 minutes). Skip this step if using rosewater.
In the meantime, using a coffee grinder, grind the cashew nuts using an intermittent pulse motion for a few seconds rather than a continuous setting to prevent the cashews becoming sticky due the ‘oil’ being released from over grinding to give a fine texture. I ground mine in three batches.
Sieve the resulting ground cashew nuts through a metal sieve returning any coarse nuts remaining in the sieve to the grinder to regrind. Place aside.
Strain the cardamom infusion (or not if you prefer the taste of crushed cardamom ‘pieces’) retaining the liquid. (At this point there should be around 80 - 90ml of infused liquid. If not, add water to make it up to 80 - 90ml). Pour the infused water back into the pan and add the sugar.
Dissolve the sugar on medium heat turning. Add the rosewater is using instead of the cardamoms.
Turn the heat down to just simmering point and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Add the ground cashew nuts in three batches stirring gently after each addition to ensure they combine without forming lumps.
Continue to stir over a low/medium heat for a further 15 minutes until mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan turning down the heat if it starts sticking.
Test the mixture to see if it is ready by taking out a small amount with a teaspoon. Allow it to cool and then roll between your fingers. If it forms a smooth round ball cleanly without sticking to your fingers, the mixture is ready.
Remove from the heat and transfer to a shallow bowl or plate and allow to cool.
Once cool enough to handle, sprinkle a few strands of saffron over the barfi mixture and knead it in the palm of one hand with the fingers of the other for a minute or so.
Roll out the mixture between two sheets of greaseproof paper into a rectangular shape about 1cm thick.
Allow the barfi to cool down completely and then cut the barfi into diamond shapes with a sharp knife.
Serve the barfi immediately.
This barfi can be stored in a airtight container for up to 5 days depending on the ambient temperature.
Ras Malai
Serves 4 - 5
Suitable for: Vegetarians and those on a gluten free diet
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus time for making paneer
Cooking time: 40 minutes Chilling time: 6 hours
A very popular dish for festive occasions
Ingredients:
200g paneer
1 teaspoon arrowroot or cornflour
For water syrup:
200g granulated sugar
800ml water
¼ teaspoon of crushed green cardamom seeds
For the ras malai (milk syrup):
500ml whole milk
60g granulated sugar
¼ - ½ teaspoon of crushed green cardamom seeds
10g sliced pistachios
pinch saffron strands
Method:
Place 200g of paneer in a bowl and knead for about 3 -5 minutes until it is smooth. Add the arrowroot and knead for a couple more minutes to incorporate.
divide the kneaded paneer into 8 - 10 balls each weighing c. 20g
knead each ball in the palm of one hand using the fingers of the other hand to form a ball, flatten slightly to form thick ‘discs’ and keep aside. Repeat with remaining balls
Pour 800ml of water in a large, wide pan (paneer ‘discs’ with increase in size during this process), add 200g of sugar. Dissolve the sugar and bring syrup to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat a touch ensuring the syrup is continues to boil.
Add the paneer ‘discs’ to the syrup gently, cover the pan and allow the rolling water to cook the paneer for 15 minutes. Half way through, gently stir the syrup around the paneer ‘discs’ taking care to avoid touching the discs themselves as these will crumble..
In the mean time make the milk syrup (malai). Pour the milk into a pan and heat. Place 4 tablespoon of warm milk in a bowl with a few strands of saffron, mix and keep aside. Add the crushed cardamoms and bring the rest of the milk to the boil and boil gently for 10 minutes.
When the paneer discs are cooked, remove them gently and place them in a flat bottomed bowl together with some of the syrup and allow to cool
Going back to the milk syrup, add the sugar and continue boiling for a further 10 minutes. Add the saffron infused milk and most of the sliced pistachios keeping some aside to garnish. Boil for a further 5 minutes.
Lift one of the cooked paneer ‘discs’ out of the syrup, gently squeeze between two spatulas to allow excess syrup to run off. Place the disc in another flat bottomed bowl. Repeat with the remaining discs in the syrup and arrange them into the bowl.
Pour over the milk syrup, garnish with the remaining sliced pistachios, allow to cool and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Serve and enjoy.
Gajar Halwa (Carrot Halwa) - Dairy and Vegan Versions
A creamy, rich sweet dish reserved for special occasions such as weddings. Well worth the effort. Details for the vegan version are shown in bold italics
Serves 6 - 8
Total time: 75 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians and those on a gluten free diet. Vegan version
Enjoy as a hot or cold dessert. I prefer it cold.
Surplus can be stored in the fridge (few days) or freezer (longer term) in an airtight container lined with baking/parchment paper.
To make a sweet potato halwa, follow the recipe as is but use 500g of sweet potato instead of carrots.
Handy Tip:
Place the milk on to boil and reduce first and then prepare the carrots, nuts etc to save prep time.
Dairy Gajar Halwa
Vegan Gajar Halwa (without saffron) Add few strands saffron for a deeper orange, optional
Ingredients:
500g carrots, grated (can use sweet potato and make sweet potato halwa instead)
1 litre of whole milk (I use organic whole milk)/1 litre of almond milk (I use Plenish as this is made using 6% almonds)
80g of brown/coconut sugar (I use coconut sugar as it has a lower glycemic index and contains some micro nutrients)
25g melted ghee (or unsalted butter)/25g of melted coconut oil
I teaspoon of crushed cardamoms
20g of sultanas
40g pistachio nuts sliced, plus extra for sprinkling on top (traditionally pistachio nuts are used but almonds can also be used plus extra for sprinkling on top)/40g sliced almonds.
a couple of strands of saffron, optional
Method
Rinse the pan with water (stops milk sticking to the bottom of stainless steel pans). Add the milk and cardamoms and bring to the boil.
If adding saffron, soak a few strands of saffron in a tablespoon of the warm milk in a bowl from above and set aside
Continue boiling on a fairly high heat (where it boils semi vigorously without boiling over) stirring occasionally until most of the milk has been absorbed/condensed (c. 45 minutes). Turn down the heat as the milk condenses to prevent it catching the base of the pan. Stir more often at this stage.
In the meantime, scrape, wash and grate the carrots.
Add grated carrots to the milk, stir and bring back to the boil on fairly high heat.
In a separate pan/small saucepan melt the ghee/coconut oil. With the heat on a medium/high setting, add the sultanas and stir through until they puff up and are lighter in colour. Take off the heat, scoop out the sultanas and keep aside.
Going back to the carrot/milk mixture, turn down the heat to medium (if not already done so) once most of the milk has condensed and simmer gently stirring for another 5 minutes or so. Add the saffron infused milk if using.
Add the sugar ghee/coconut oil, nuts and sultanas and combine. Still on medium heat, continue simmering and stirring for another 20 minutes or so until the mixture starts to leave the side of the pan.
At this point the halwa is almost ready. As soon as the halwa comes away from the pan forming a smooth ‘ball’ and leaves a clear channel when the spoon is dragged across the halwa at the base of the pan, it is ready.
Turn the mixture out into a 19cm diameter greased sandwich cake tin (or any other suitable dish) and flatten gently. Garnish with edible silver sheets with a sprinkling of nuts on top.
Allow to cool, then cut into squares/diamonds. Serve as a dessert.