Go plant-based with your desserts this Diwali
Chefs and food specialists share recipes to indulge your sweet tooth
By Riddhi Doshi
Last Updated: Nov 02, 2021, 12:42 IST4 min
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One of the biggest food trends this year has been plant-based food. Many fine-dine restaurants, cloud kitchens, cafes and premium food delivery services too have started incorporating plant-based foods, free of any dairy or meat products, in their menus. Why not extend it to Diwali decadence too?
Here some well-known, vegan food specialists share their Diwali mithai and dessert recipes that you can try at home and have a healthier Diwali.
Vegan dark chocolate mousse
Ingredients
Vegan dark chocolate
Valrhona-Amatika range – 225 gm
Almond milk – 125 ml
Dairy-free whipping cream – 200 gm
Method
- In a heavy-bottomed pan add the almond milk and heat gently.
- In a glass bowl, add the vegan chocolate and gently pour the hot almond milk over the chocolate.
- Leave it to infuse for 3 minutes and then using a spatula stir continuously until the chocolate melts.
- Fold the dairy free whipped cream into the above mixture.
- Pour it into a glass/mould of your choice and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Garnish with fresh blueberries.
- Serve chilled.
Vegan beetroot halwa with coconut ice cream
Ingredients
Beetroot halwa
Beetroot (grated) – 200 gm
Sugar – 50 gm
Virgin coconut oil – 20 ml
Phyllo sheets – 2
Coconut ice cream
Coconut milk – 400 ml
Coconut yoghurt – 90 gm
Sugar – 30 gm
Ice cream stabiliser -2 gm
Liquid glucose – 17 gm
Method
Beetroot halwa
- Take a heavy-bottomed pan and heat it.
- Add the grated beetroot and sugar, cook them together on medium flame.
- It will first release all its water and then start drying out, which will take about 10-12 minutes.
- Once the water has dried out, add virgin coconut oil and mix well.
- Remove from the flame and keep aside to let it cool.
- Once the mixture is cooled, take the phyllo sheets and spread them on a flat table/surface.
- Using a silicon brush, lightly apply coconut oil on the sheets.
- Cut them length wise, at a gap of approximately 1 inch.
- Put the halwa on the phyllo sheets and wrap into small triangular packages.
- Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 6 minutes.
- Take a deep pan, add coconut milk, sugar, liquid glucose and heat it.
- Stir the mixture till the sugar melts. This will take 8-10 minutes.
- Add coconut yoghurt and stabiliser and mix well.
- Serve the hot beetroot halwa phyllo with a scoop of chilled coconut ice cream.
- Garnish with slivers of pistachio.
- Churn the mixture in an ice-cream machine
Dry fruit laddoos
Ingredients
Cashews – ¼ cup
Almonds – ¼ cup
Pistachios – ¼ cup
Dates – 7 to 10
Figs – 3 to 5
Poppy seeds – 1 tsp
Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
Sesame seeds – 2 tbsp
Method
- Soak the dates and figs in lukewarm water and in two separate bowls.
- On medium heat, dry roast almonds, cashews and pistachios until the mix becomes slightly aromatic and keep aside.
- Toast the seeds until they become aromatic and keep aside.
- Put everything in a food processor and process.
- Roll the mixture into small balls.
- Pro tip - If the mixture becomes runny, place between parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
Fudgy almond coconut butter laddoos
Shredded coconut – 2 cups
Almond butter – 1 tbsp
Coconut milk – 1/3 cup
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
Coconut sugar – ¾ cup
Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp
Salt – 1/8 tsp
Coconut flour – 5 tbsp
Method
- Place the shredded coconut in a big bowl. Add cardamom powder.
- Heat coconut milk in a small pan on medium heat.
- Add oil, coconut sugar, salt, almond butter and mix well.
- Bring the mixture to a bubbling boil.
- Boil for 4 minutes and take off heat.
- Add the shredded coconut and cardamom mixture.
- Add coconut flour and mix well.
- If the mixture appears runny, let it cool, then add shredded coconut 2-3 tbsp at a time.
- Let it cool for 2 minutes then shape into laddoos. Cool completely before serving
Vegan gaajar ka halwa
Ingredients
Sunflower oil – 2 tsp
Chopped cashews – 3 tbsp
Raisins – 2 tbsp
Chopped raw pistachios – 2 tbsp
Grated carrots – 2 ½ cups
Almond flour – ¼ cup
Almond milk – 1 ¼ cup
Coconut sugar – 1/3 cup
Sunflower oil – 1 tbsp
Salt – ¼ tsp
Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp
Method
- Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add cashews and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.
- Add raisins and pistachios and cook for 1-2 minutes until raisins puff up.
- Add grated carrots, almond flour, almond milk, coconut sugar, salt and cardamom powder and cook on low heat till all the liquid is absorbed.
- Add 1 tbsp sunflower oil towards the end and stir on low heat.
- Once all the liquid is absorbed, remove from gas, put it in a bowl and serve.
- Garnish with raisins.
Raw turmeric and coconut halwa
Ingredients
Raw turmeric, peeled and ground – 100 gm
Jaggery – 100 gm
Whole wheat flour – 750 gm
Plant-based ghee – 750 gm
Coconut milk – 20 ml
Pistachios – 100 gm
Almonds – 100 gm
Cashews – 100 gm
Roasted coconut chips – 200 gm
Saffron – for garnishing
Method
- Heat 2 tbsp ghee.
- Roast wheat flour for 5-7 minutes until it turns golden brown and then take it off the heat.
- Heat remaining ghee and roast turmeric paste on medium flame for 10 minutes.
- As ghee separates, add flour and mix well.
- Add coconut milk and stir.
- Add mashed jaggery and mix well.
- Continue heating the mixture for 4-5 minutes.
- Add dry fruits and mix well.
- Garnish with pistachio flakes and coconut chips.
- Serve hot.
First Published: Nov 02, 2021, 12:42
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