If you are game for some does of health in your Diwali sweets then these three exotic recipes shared by celebrity Manish Mehrotra are a must-try. Giving the desi gujiyas, barfis and halwas a healthy and global twist Manish has reinvented the traditional sweets with the goodness of almonds.
ALMOND HALWA TART
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
Unsalted butter 100 gm | Castor sugar 60 gm | Khoya 120 gm | Almonds 300 gm | Desi ghee 90 gm | Mascarpone cheese 50 gm
Method:
• Cream unsalted butter and sugar together in the machine bowl of a planetary mixer with a paddle attachment, until thick and creamy. Alternatively, you can use a wooden spoon and a bowl to cream butter and sugar.
• Add the flour and mix well. This pastry is for the tart base, refrigerate in the fridge for about 4-5 hours or overnight.
• Grind the almonds to a slightly coarse powder.
• Heat desi ghee in a heavy bottom pan, add the almond powder and cook on slow heat.
• Cook till slightly brown, add the sugar and cook further 5-10 mins.
• Add the khoya and cook for 10-15 minutes. The almonds and khoya should bind together.
• Roll out the pastry in to a 9 inch round and line a 8 inch tart shell with the rolled pastry.
• Bake at 180 degree Celsius for about 15-20 mins till the pastry is fully cooked and golden in colour.
• Mix the almond halwa with mascarpone cheese and fill the tart with this mixture evenly.
• Garnish with slice toasted almonds and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (optional).
ALMOND AND WHITE CHOCOLATE GUJIYA
Serves: 10
Ingredients
For Dough: All-purpose flour 2 cups | Clarified butter (ghee) ¼ cup | Water half cup
For the filling: White chocolate 1 cup | Desiccated coconut ¼ cup | Green cardamom powder a pinch | Almond ½ cup | Jaggery 1 t bsp|
Method:
• Rub the flour and ghee together and bind them together with water to form a soft dough. Rest it for ½ hour.
• In a bowl, mix the chocolate flakes, coconut, almonds together and add jaggery.
• Make small balls of the dough and roll it out into ½ cm thick rotis.
• Place filling in the centre, do not overstuff it as it will result in bursting of gujiya while frying.
• Apply water on the edges and seal the ends, the shape will resemble half-moon. Use a cutter to make a design around the edges or pinch and twist the edges.
• Heat oil/ ghee in a deep pan; fry the gujiyas till golden brown.
ALMOND COCONUT BURFI
Serves 4
Ingredients
Freshly grated coconut 1 cup almonds blanched | Grinded 1/2 cup Sugar (fine/ breakfast) 1 cup | Desi ghee 1/3 cup
Method
• In a non-stick pan add ghee on a low medium heat and add coconut & almond mixture. Stir to mix well and keep on stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan or getting burnt until it begins to leave the sides of the pan, lumping up as one mass. Add sugar and fold it well.
• Apply ghee onto a baking sheet and keep aside.
• Reduce heat to low and continue stirring for a few more minutes until the residue sticking to the sides of the pan starts to look opaque and dry, which means the consistency is nearing almost right for solidifying.
• Remove onto the greased plate / sheet. Mix the dough with greased hands, pat it flat into a neat square with a greased rolling-pin to 1/4 inch thickness. Smooth out the surface if needed.
• As it has cooled partially, cut into equal squares with a knife. Once completely cooled (about an hour or so), separate out the burfis with a flat spatula and store in an airtight container