Perfect Gulab Jamun are like the chocolate cake of Desi celebrations. These soft, cakey balls of fried milk and rosewater syrup appear on wedding banquet tables, restaurant menus and in home kitchens for a reason. It’s because almost everybody loves Gulab Jamun. Indeed, when it comes to the world of South Asian desserts, Gulab Jamun …
Mohanthal and Dhilo Mohanthal are buttery, melt-in-the-mouth Indian sweets with cardamom, saffron and mace. Enjoy as a square or as a hot fudge-like pudding with ice cream. Watch my Mohanthal and Dhilo Mohanthal video What is Mohanthal? Mohanthal, when served as a set square, is a sweet and delicious fudge made from toasted chickpea flour. …
Bengali sweets will always have a special place in my heart and this Vanilla Rasmalai is my favourite kind. Much like the Gujarati enthusiasm for savoury snacks, the culture for sweet-making in West Bengal is vast. With dozens of varieties of (mostly) dairy-based desserts, the selection is rich as the creamy Rasmalai (Rassomalai) and spongy …
There are some dishes in life that have parts are worth fighting over; the crunchy edges of a lasagne, the crispy rice on the bottom of a pot of biryani, the middle pieces of a tray of brownies (better than the corner pieces, IMO) and the crumbly, icing sugar-topped streusel crown of this Vegan Masala …
My grandfather was a sweet maker. He had big, thick-skinned hands that were made for harvesting sugar canes using a machete and stirring giant pots of bubbling syrup. He never used a sugar thermometer. He could tell it was done just by looking at the consistency of the syrup, perhaps testing it using a little …
I have a soft spot for a hot drink before bed. Something sweet and milky usually does the trick. It has to be poured into a large mug and I need to be able to see gentle waves of steam dancing off the surface. I’m truly comforted if the steam is robust enough to reach …
Shove over overpriced Turmeric Latte and Golden Milk. It’s Haldi Doodh and it always has been! Ever since I heard about the South African Melktert (Milk Tart) I knew I had to try it. It’s creamy, custardy and packed with delicious cinnamon flavours on top of a shortcrust pastry base. What’s not to love? Much …
Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been fascinated by meringues. There’s something so magical about those white, fluffy clouds of sweet vanilla. The chewy goodness of pavlovas, with their marshmallow-like middles and cratered tops that are begging to be dolloped with whipped cream and crowned with berries. So beautiful, yet nigh on impossible …
I remember being six years old and fascinated by cake. Today, I’m 26 and still obsessed with it. I once had a tragic experience with Death by Chocolate Cake. I begged and begged for it until my parents gave in, probably knowing I’d regret it the next day. Needless to say, it did exactly what …
