Festive dhamaka

Sweets and festivities go hand in hand. Chefs from five star hotels in Mumbai give us a taste of their favourite festive food


Chef Paul Kinny, Executive Chef,
InterContinentaL, Marine Drive

It is made with exotic ingredients and is quite different from the quintessential cheesecake. The use of coconut makes it a rich dessert with an Indian touch. It is thus the perfect dish to be served during Diwali.

TenderCoconut Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS Butter 30g, Biscuits 120g, Castor sugar 50g, Mascarpone cheese 250g, Gelatin 15g, Whipped cream 150g, Tender Coconut flesh 75g, Egg yolk 4 nos.

METHOD:Take butter and crushed biscuits together crumble it make half inch of biscuit base & keep in a cool place for setting. Mix gelatin with water and melt.
• Chop Tender coconut flesh. Divide into two parts; one for the mixture and another for garnish.
• Mix sugar and mascarpone cheese and cream together. Gradually add egg yolk.
• Add melted gelatin and fold with fresh whipped cream to make a creamy batter.
• On the crushed biscuit base, add a layer of smooth creamy batter, spread some compote and add another layer of the batter.
• Keep in the refrigerator for setting.
• Glaze with the remaining tender coconut flesh.
• Serve chilled. Garnish as desired.

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Chef Zubin D'Souza, Director, F&B, Svenska Design Hotel

As always, Diwali cannot be celebrated without ghujiyas. Baked Phyllo Ghujiyas with Rose Petal Gulkhand Sauce is a re-working and a healthier version of the traditional ghujiyas. It can be easily prepared for Diwali.”

Baked Phyllo Ghujiyas with Rose Petal Gulkhand Sauce

INGREDIENTS : (For the mixture)
Honey 50g, Sugar 50g, Water 150ml, Cinnamon stick 1, Cardamom pods 4, Salt: a pinch, Grated coconut 200g, Raisins 20g, Broken cashew nuts 20g, Chopped almonds 10g, Flour 40g, Phyllo sheets 3/Melted butter 50g. For the Gulkhand: Rose petals 200g, Honey 60g, Juice of a lemon, Cinnamon 2 sticks, Pinch of Fennel seeds, Grated lemon zest 5 g

METHOD : For the Gulkhand
Wash the rose petals, dry them with a paper kitchen towel and spread on a tray. Boil 100ml of water in a pot, add honey, lemon juice, cinnamon and fennel. Skim off all the frothy scum that rises to the surface. After a minute, stir in the rose petals and simmer till the mixture thickens and begins to solidify. Stir in the lemon zest, taste and adjust sweetness if necessary. Remove off the heat and cool before serving.

For the Ghujiyas
In a thick bottomed pot simmer for 20 mins. ingredients required for filling. Taste to see that the coconut has softened and if the sweetness needs to be adjusted. Remove off the heat and cool. Remove the whole spices. Mix about 30ml of water in the flour to make a thick paste. Lay one phyllo sheet on a table and spread a bit of the melted butter on it with a pastry brush and place the other phyllo sheet right on top of this. Continue in the same manner and apply butter and the last sheet of the phyllo. Cut the phyllo into lengthwise strips of 2-inch thickness and divide the sweetened coconut mixture equally and place a bit at the bottom of each strip. Pick a corner of the strip and move it towards the edge to form a triangle and cover the mixture. Keep rolling this mixture to opposite edges whilst ensuring that there are no gaps and the triangular shape is maintained. Seal the flap with the flour-water mixture. Continue till all the ghujiyas are formed. Brush the ghujiyas with a bit of the butter and place them in a preheated oven at 220°C for 8 mins. till they turn a golden brown. Serve with the gulkhand. Fresh rose petals are available from most florists. I have used this recipe with marigold and lavender petals as well.

INGREDIENTS :
Honey 50g, Sugar 50g, Water 150ml, Cinnamon stick 1, Cardamom pods 4, Salt: a pinch, Grated coconut 200g, Raisins 20g, Broken cashew nuts 20g, Chopped almonds 10g, Flour 40g.

METHOD :
Grease a baking tray with some melted butter. In a sauce pan melt the butter and chocolate and then add the condensed milk and cook for some more time. Then add the grated walnuts and mawa. Add the mixture in the grease tray and allow it to set in a refrigerator. You may add some chopped walnuts for garnish. Cut into small squares and serve.

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Chef Kaikoy Bokdawala,
Executive Assistant Manager - Executive Chef, Hotel Sea Princess

The chocolate walnut fudge is rich in texture which melts in your mouth giving you a moment of ecstasy by releasing endorphins in the brain and a euphoric rush. That is why it is loved by one and all. It has no cultural boundaries!”

Chocolate Walnut Fudge

INGREDIENTS :
Dark Chocolate 250 g, Walnuts 100 g, Butter 150 g, Mawa 60 g, Condensed Milk 1 tin

METHOD :
Grease a baking tray with some melted butter. In a sauce pan melt the butter and chocolate and then add the condensed milk and cook for some more time. Then add the grated walnuts and mawa. Add the mixture in the grease tray and allow it to set in a refrigerator. You may add some chopped walnuts for garnish. Cut into small squares and serve.

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Chef Vicky Ratnani, Head Chef, Aurus

Chocolate rice pudding with cinnamon and elaichi dust is good because people like chocolate and it’s easy to make. Chocolate and elaichi combination is good as chocolate has a rich flavour while elaichi has a light flavour. The texture is good and has good aroma. The dessert perfectly fits in as a festive dessert as one would enjoy the chocolate and the cinnamon flavour during winters and it consumes less time to prepare compared to other dishes.”

Dark Chocolate Rice Pudding with Cinnamon and Roasted Elaichi Dust

INGREDIENTS :
Chocolate Dark 70g, Cream 100ml, Cooked Rice 2 cups, Butter 15g, innamon Powder ½ tsp, Roasted Elaichi Powder ½ tsp.

METHOD :
• Melt the chocolate and the cream along with the butter in a saucepan over a slow flame.
• Add the cooked rice along with the cinnamon and elaichi powder.
• Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Serve hot or cold.