Happy Diwali - Independent Media

Ghari

50g butter ghee

50g chickpea flour

225g Klim milk powder

140g finely chopped almonds

50g desiccated coconut

7.5ml cardamom

225ml sugar

140g Nestle condensed milk

Full cream milk, to bind

GHARI PASTRY: 500ml cake flour 50g butter 200-225ml cold water sunflower oil, to fry

GLAZE: 500g butter ghee 500ml icing sugar Tinted almonds, to garnish

Melt the butter in a thick bottomed pot and stir in the chickpea flour.

Continue stirring over medium heat until the mixture is deep caramel in colour.

Leave to cool before adding the milk powder, cardamom, almonds, coconut and sugar.

Add the condensed milk and mix well to combine.

If the mixture is too crumbly, add a little full cream milk to bind.

Divide into portions, roll into balls and flatten slightly to make “patties”.

PASTRY: Place the flour in a mixing bowl and rub in the butter till it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water a little at a time and knead until soft dough forms.

Cover with a damp cloth for an hour and divide into portions.

Roll the dough into thin rounds without using flour – if flour is used, the ghari will not seal properly and could open when frying.

Dip the “patties” into flour and dust off the excess and place in the centre of the dough.

Gather up the edges and pinch them together tightly to seal.

Place on baking paper dusted with flour to prevent sticking. Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan on medium heat.

Place the ghari into the hot oil with the sealed side down and fry until pale golden in colour.

Remove from the oil and leave on a wire rack to drain.

Once the ghari has cooled down and drained, prepare the butter glaze.

Combine the butter ghee and icing sugar in a saucepan.

Heat over a low heat and whisk until the sugar melts and forms a thick emulsion.

Dip the ghari in the glaze and leave on a wire rack to drain. Garnish with tinted almonds. Leave uncovered until the glaze sets and hardens.

YUDHIKA’S TIPS: I divide the filling into 25g portions and the dough into 30g portions. It is always best to weigh the filling and dough to achieve uniform results.

Chana Magaj

500g chickpea flour

100ml full cream milk, boiled

500g unsalted butter or ghee

5ml ground cardamom

375g icing sugar, sifted

100g Klim milk powder

Tinted almonds, to decorate

Place the chickpea flour in a large mixing bowl and pour in the hot milk.

Rub the milk into the chickpea flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Leave aside to dry for an hour, and rub the mixture between your fingertips to break into fine crumbs.

Melt the butter or ghee in a thick bottomed pot on a low heat and add the chickpea flour. Stir continuous for about an hour until the chickpea flour turns gold then deep caramel in colour. Leave aside to cool. While the mixture is cooling, grease a baking tray with non-stick spray.

Line with a layer of plastic wrap and grease the wrap with non stick spray. Once the chickpea mixture has cooled, add the cardamom, icing sugar and milk powder.

Mix well to combine and ensure the ingredients are well combined.

Press the mixture into the prepared baking tray. If the mixture appears too dry, add a little melted butter. Gently press the tinted nuts on to the magaj and leave to set.

Cut into blocks and lift the plastic wrap to remove from the tray.

YUDHIKA’S TIPS: You can use a silicone mould to shape the magaj. The mould would need to be placed into the refrigerator so the magaj firms and is easy to remove.

Rangoli Burfee Cake

250g soft butter

250g sugar

200g Klim milk powder

200ml dessert cream

400ml full cream milk

5ml vanilla essence

420g cake flour

15ml baking powder

10ml bicarbonate of soda

pinch of salt

7.5ml ground cardamom

Pre-heat the oven to 160°C.

In a free-standing mixer or with a hand-held beater, cream the butter until light in colour.

Add the sugar gradually and continue creaming until fluffy.

Stir the milk powder into the mixture and continue creaming.

Gradually add the dessert cream.

Combine the full cream milk and vanilla essence. Sift the dry ingredients. Add half the sifted flour to the mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

Add half the milk and mix well, followed by the remaining flour.

Pour in the remaining milk and beat until smooth.

Divide the mixture into a 3 x 20cm greased and lined cake tins.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when the cakes are tested.

BUTTERCREAM ICING: 375g butter 750g icing sugar 5ml vanilla extract 45ml fresh cream food colouring, to tint icing gold leaf, to decorate roses, to decorate

Cream the butter and gradually add the icing sugar until light in colour.

Add the vanilla essence. Continue beating until smooth. Add the fresh cream and tint the icing in colours of your choice.

Once the cakes have cooled, sandwich and ice the sides and top.

Refrigerate until the icing is set and ice again to ensure the cake is well covered, using a spatula to smooth it.

Using a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle, pipe the rangoli design on to the cake. Finish with gold leaf and roses. Makes one 3-layer 20cm cake

YUDHIKA’S TIPS: The Diwali cake in the picture is made by doubling this recipe.

A 25cm cake tin was used for the bottom layer, 2 x 20cm cake tins used for the second layer and one 15cm tin for the top tier.

Use a toothpick to lightly draw the design on the cake before piping.

Modak

a few strands of saffron

185ml full-cream milk

5ml cardamom

30ml butter ghee

125ml icing sugar

675ml Klim milk powder

FILLING: 90ml flaked almonds 90ml green pistachio slivers 100ml desiccated coconut 2ml ground cardamom condensed milk, to bind

Heat the saffron for a few seconds in a large nonstick pan.

Remove the saffron from the pan and allow to cool. Crush the saffron strands using your fingertips. Heat the milk in the pan and add the crushed saffron, cardamom and butter.

Once the butter ghee melts and the mixture starts to bubble, add the icing sugar and stir until dissolved.

Then add the milk powder and use a spatula to stir the mixture over a low heat for about two minutes.

The milk powder mixture should resemble soft dough. Remove from the pan, cover with plastic wrap and leave to cool.

FILLING: Finely chop the almonds and pistachios.

In a non-stick pan, toast the coconut, almonds and pistachio nuts until fragrant. Leave to cool, add the cardamom.

Bind the nut mixture with a little condensed milk. Grease a modak mould with a little butter.

Press the Klim mixture around the sides of the mould, leaving the centre hollow.

Spoon the nut filling into the centre and press down, adding a little more if necessary.

Seal the mould with the milk powder mixture.

Remove from the mould and garnish with gold leaf.

Pistachio Mawa Burfee

600g Klim

10ml ground cardamom

155g Nestle Dessert Cream

500ml milk

125g butter

375ml sugar

melted white chocolate, to decorate

pistachio slivers, to sprinkle

Place the Klim and ground cardamom into a large mixing bowl.

Rub the dessert cream into the milk powder until it resembles breadcrumbs. Leave aside for 2 hours.

Using a food processor with a blade attachment, process the milk powder mixture until fine.

Heat the milk in a nonstick pan and bring to the boil.

Add the butter and sugar to the hot milk and simmer for 2 minutes, using a spatula to stir continuously to prevent the milk from scorching.

Add the milk powder and reduce the heat. Break down the lumps and continue stirring, taking care to scrape the bottom of the pan.

The burfee mixture should resemble thick batter – do not overcook. Remove from the heat and place in a mixing bowl. Leave to cool and refrigerate for a few hours.

Place the mixture in a mixing bowl and beat using a paddle attachment until creamy and smooth.

Use an ice-cream scoop to mould the burfee and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Sprinkle with pistachios and place in paper cups.