Cutting the story sweet: Rachel Goenka's shahi tukda cinnamon rolls with a twist

Her venture, The Sassy Spoon, started in 2012 and soon grew to over 10 restaurants across Mumbai and Pune
Image used for representational purposes only (Photo | Pexels)
Image used for representational purposes only (Photo | Pexels)

Ceramic platters loaded down with pan-seared John Dory, sitting pretty on a bed of charred corn in a lemon beurre noisette sauce, nutty ricotta ravioli and a high tumbler with shahi tukda cinnamon rolls with rabri cream. This is what goes down at Sassy group of restaurants. Rachel Goenka’s delicious journey started with a specialisation in patisserie from Le Cordon Bleu and training under celebrity chef Rachel Allen.

Her venture, The Sassy Spoon, started in 2012 and soon grew to over 10 restaurants across Mumbai and Pune. Her recipe book Adventures with Mithai won a ‘Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020’ and with it, she put India on the international culinary map. It is full of exuberant recipes like Kaju Katli Truffles, Chocolate Barfi Cheesecake and Anjeer Barfi Treacle Tart.

“I enjoy exploring mithai in a contemporary avatar. The recipes are adapted to be home-baker-friendly with easy techniques to repurpose mithai that is easily available.”

Classic ingredients serve as the perfect canvas for her to play with. “I did one entire savoury menu with ruby chocolate as the hero and it was a hit. Basil and dark chocolate is another quirky but rapturous combination.” She believes in playing with intense flavours and pleasing textures.

“While artfully composed elements such as mini earl grey and lavender cakes in a signature lavender purple for a Yardley event delight our senses, the humble French toast also gets embellished here. Scoops of whipped coconut cream lightly drizzled with coffee maple syrup on soft french toast reflect a more bold sensibility. It is encouraging as a restauranteur to want to keep pushing boundaries where customers are served that familiar comfort with a sassy twist.” she concludes.

Shahi Tukda Cinnamon Rolls with Rabri Cream sauce (Heat liquid glucose, butter, sugar and cinnamon to make it) and even good old vanilla ice cream.

Method:

✥ Cut the crusts off the slices of bread. Using a rolling pin, lightly flatten the bread slices.
✥ In a bowl, cream the butter with cinnamon powder and sugar. The mixture should increase in volume
and turn a paler colour.
✥ Spread the cinnamon butter generously on each slice of bread and roll the slice like you would a Swiss roll.
✥ Allow all the rolled bread slices to set in the fridge for 2 hours.
✥ Slice each roll horizontally to create individual swirls.
✥ Thread the swirls with a wooden skewer so they don’t unravel when fried.
✥ Heat ghee in a deep saucepan, pouring enough to immerse the swirls entirely.
✥ Deep-fry the bread swirls till golden brown, then drain on a paper towel.

In a bowl, combine castor sugar and cinnamon. Toss in the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm, with warmed rabri. Serves 6.

Ingredients:

✥ Bread slices – 6 large slices
✥ Unsalted butter softened - 100 g
✥ Cinnamon powder - 10 g
✥ Castor sugar - 200 g
✥ Rabri - 300 g
✥ Ghee for frying

Tip - You can also serve these with chocolate sauce, cinnamon butter

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