5 Recipes to try out this Diwali by The Grace Kitchen

Whether you’re looking for the classic recipes or you’re interested in finding some new dishes to add to your Diwali feast, these recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth and ensure you get something savory to eat too.

This time we reached out to Chef Tanya N. Bhatia, owner of The Grace Kitchen to share exclusive recipes for the Diwali Special. Hope you try & enjoy them.

5 Diwali Recipes

Triple Layer Fudge 

Ingredients:

Chocolate layer 

• 100 grams chocolate
• 50 grams of condensed milk

White layer 

• 100 grams chocolate 
• 100 grams of condensed milk 

Biscuit layer 

• One biscuit pack
• 6 tbsp. melted butter 

Directions:

1. Add crushed biscuits to a bowl and add melted butter to it. Mix well.
2. Take a 5 by 5 greased and lined baking tray or mold and transfer the biscuit layer to it.
3. Press it well and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Melt the dark chocolate compound using the double boiler method or the microwave.
5. Add condensed milk to it and mix well.
6. Add over the biscuit layer and set for 10-15 minutes in the fridge.
7. Melt the white chocolate compound similarly.
8. Add condensed milk to it and mix well.
9. Add it over the dark chocolate layer and let it set for at least 30-40 minutes in the fridge.
10. Cut into desired shapes and serve.

Jaggery Chikki

Ingredients:

• 125 grams nuts
• 3 tbsp. dried rose petals
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 100 grams Jaggery
• 1.5 tsp. ghee

Direction

1. Add ghee to a pan and then add jaggery. Cook them on a low flame until the Jaggery melts completely.
2. Then add in nuts, rose petals, and cardamom powder and mix well.
3. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then take out on greased parchment paper. 
4. Cover with another parchment paper and roll it with a rolling pin.
5. Then let it set for 1 hour and cut as desired.

Lavash Sticks 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tbsp. Olive oil
• 2 tbsp. Soft Butter
• Small pinch of Kashmiri chilli powder
• 4 tbsp. Processed Cheese; Grated
• 1/4 cup Warm Water
• 1/4 tsp. White sesame seeds, topping
• 1/4 tsp. Black sesame seeds, topping
• 2 pinches Kashmiri Chilli powder, topping 

Method:

1. Knead together all the ingredients (only add half the cheese to the dough, the other half is to sprinkle on top). Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes. Once done, let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough as thin as possible and dock it with a fork to make sure they don’t have bubbles. Sprinkle everything on top, the cheese last. Cut into triangles. Bake at 180⁰C for 15 minutes. 

Jalapeno Olive Cheese Balls

Ingredients:

• 7-8 Jalapeños, chopped
• 1 cup Processed Cheese, grated 1 tbsp. Oregano
• 1 tbsp Cheese Spread
• To coat:
• 7-8 jalapenos/olives, chopped

Method:

Mix everything very well. Shape them with wet hands and cover them with chopped jalapenos/black olives. Wrap it and store it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Eggless Thandai Mousse Cake

Ingredients

In one bowl

• 3 tablespoons warm water
• Pinch of saffron
• Dry Ingredients
• 1.5 cups All-purpose flour 185 grams
• 2.5 tablespoons Thandai powder 14 grams
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• Salt

Mix in another bowl

• ¾ cup sugar 157 grams
• ¾ cup thick yogurt 188 grams
• ¼ cup water 59 ml
• ⅓ Cup plus oil 76 ml
• For the mousse layer
• To activate agar agar
• 2 teaspoon agar agar powder
• ½ cup full-fat milk 118 ml
• ¼ th cup heavy whipping cream 59 ml
• 3 tablespoons thandai powder 18 grams
• Pinch of saffron optional

For whipped cream

• 2 ¼ cups chilled heavy whipping cream 532 ml
• Pinch of salt
• 2-3 drops of yellow food color
• Garnish (Optional)
• ¼ cup Slivered nuts
• 1 tablespoon Dried rose petals

Instructions

For the cake

• Grease and line a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. Make sure you secure the lock. Keep aside.
• Add saffron to warm water and keep aside to cool.
• In another bowl sift all dry ingredients except sugar. Give it a quick mix.
• In another bowl add sugar, yogurt, water, thandai powder, oil, rose water, and saffron water.
• Whisk well with a manual or an electric balloon whisk until creamy and the sugar has almost dissolved. Whisk, until the oil has emulsified well.
• Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredient bowl a little at a time.
• Now whip everything until it forms a smooth batter. Do not overwhip it.
• Transfer it to the pan and bake it for 30-35 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with few moist crumbs.
• Take out the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
• Now gently run a butter knife through the circumference of the pan and release the pan carefully. Invert the cake on the cooling rack. Set the cake aside to cool.

Make the thandai mousse

Whipping the cream

• Add chilled whipping cream, confectioner’s sugar, and a pinch of salt to a big bowl or a stand mixer. Whisk on a low speed for 3 minutes then whisk on a medium speed for 6-7 minutes.
• Remember that the creams will double their size after whipping.  Use a balloon whisk and not a beater to whip the cream to very loose and soft peaks. (Do not whip it to stiff peaks). Keep aside.

To activate agar agar

• Add milk and heavy whipping cream to a saucepan. Sprinkle agar agar over it. Add in saffron, thandai powder, and cardamom. Mix well to combine. Heat this mixture on medium heat stirring frequently. Once the mixture comes to a boil let it cook for a minute.
• Switch off the flame and strain the mixture passing through a fine-mesh strainer. Let this mixture cool to warm. (Do not cool the mixture completely or it will set before adding it to the cream. If the mix has cooled down for some reason, warm it up again until pourable consistency.
• Now start whipping cream on medium speed with one hand and add the warm mixture to the cream with another hand and whisk continuously without stopping until soft peaks hold well.

Assembling the cake

• Line the circumference of the pan with an acetate sheet approx. 4” in height. (Optional step). This helps smooth the removal of the cake later on.
• Slice the top dome of the cake to level it straight. Add the cake back to the spring form pan. Make sure you lock the pan well. Scoop in the prepared mousse and level the top.
• Cover the top loosely with foil and place it to set in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight.
• After that, gently loosen the sides of the cake with a butter knife, unlock the spring form pan and take out the acetate sheet. Enjoy!

Hope you give these recipes a try and that your loved ones really enjoy these unique recipes! Don’t forget to share your recreations with me on Instagram.