Sitting indoors in this scorching heat with no mood of going about daily chores is a common symptom we suffer during summers. But, what if you can whip up some delicious no-fuss recipes and surprise your friends and family? Celebrity chef and founder of Paprika Gourmet, Vidisha Bathwal hosted a workshop at
Nature’s Basket that demonstrated the making of an indulgent snack and dessert. Indulge was
present at the workshop and learnt how to conjure tasty Chocolate Ganache Cornflake Bars and
Quinoa Chocolate Cake. The simplicity of the recipes lay in the fact that they can be made with easily
available ingredients and just the mix and freeze or bake processes.
Vidisha Bathwal comments, “It’s very easy to go all indulgent today and put on weight overnight. If
you make it with a twist or gluten-free, giving people a healthy substitute for their indulgence, then
they don’t mind eating.”
First up on the plate was the Chocolate Ganache Cornflake Bars. Loaded with cornflakes, toasted
pecans, hazelnut spread, and chocolate, the anytime snack was a crunchy surprise. The sweetness of
the chocolate wasn’t dominating the bars and in fact, the sea salt intelligently balanced the flavour
giving it a savoury taste instead. Pro–tip, any nuts of your choice can be toasted and used in this
recipe. These bars can stay up to five to six days and can just be the homemade snack you would
want to carry with yourself on travels, picnics, and almost anywhere.
Next was a slice of Quinoa Chocolate Cake with a handsome layer of chocolate ganache on top. The
cake was soft but not spongy in texture. The inherent sweetness of the cherries used for decorating
and jaggery powder balanced the bitterness of dark chocolate ganache and cocoa powder. This easy-
to-bake cake can be made within half an hour depending on the oven capacity. Also, any
seasonal fruit can be used as toppings.
Vidisha carefully chose two recipes that amalgamated indulgence with healthy ingredients and
brought out a dish that would be happily devoured by the young and old, in no time.
Pictures by Pritam Sarkar