Elegant Desserts For Perfect Indulgence!

Vanilla Ice-cream, divine & delicious:

This is an old fashioned recipe which I have tried many times successfully. This is custard based & relatively lighter , using less cream.

Full fat milk - 500 ml
Fresh cream - 1 cup(100gms)
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cornflour - 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Dissolve the cornflour in 2 tbsp milk & keep aside. Boil the remaining milk , add sugar & cornflour mixture , stirring well , simmer for 4-5 mins. Cool thoroughly - add cream & vanilla essence & mix well.

Transfer to an airtight container & keep in the freezer.

Aftr about 8 hrs, take out, break into chunks & whisk with wisking blades of an electric hand beater. The volume will double. The ice cream becomes light. Do not use blender or hand blender. Only whisking gives the aeration & light texture.

Now put back in an airtight container in the freezer.

 

Caramel payasam

For SBS photos, please go to
Caramel Payasam

Caramel Payasam

If you make it once , it is bound to become an all – time favourite in the house !

The flavour is unbelievably good !



Milk - 1 litre ( preferably full fat )

Thin variety of rice(basmati or jeeraga samba) - ¼ cup heaped

Sugar - I cup



Soak the rice for 15 mins.

It is preferable to do this in a pressure cooker or a big pressure pan to prevent

overflowing of milk.

Heat the cooker very well on a high flame till it gets really hot.

Add 1 tbsp of sugar.

Do not stir.

It will start caramelizing.

When it becomes dark brown add ½ cup of hot water (beware, it will splash!) .

Then add the milk, & washed and strained rice & mix well.

When the milk starts boiling well close the cooker and put the weight.

At once , put the flame on sim and pressurise for 25 mtes. Do not wait for a whistle - the milk is likely to overflow.

Allow the pressure to drop.
Open & add the sugar &mix well.



Close again & put the weight.

Do not put on the flame again.

Open after atleast 15 mtes.

The payasam will be pale pink in colour with a very nice aroma
.

 

Kamal Kheer - no cooking , please.

Kamal Kheer

Basundhi - 500 ml ( you can buy readymade from mithai shops)

Cold milk - 100 ml

Orange juice - from 4 medium sized sweet oranges

Orange fruit or petals - from 4 medium sized sweet oranges

Powdered sugar - ½ cup



Mix cold basundhi , cold milk , orange juice & powdered sugar very well.

Serve chilled in individual bowls decorated with the fruit petals spread on top.

 

Gram Dhal Payasam - Try it for Ayudha Puja.

Gram dhal Payasam :



Gram dhal - ½ cup

Jaggery - 1 cup

Coconut milk ( thin ) - 1 ½ cups

Coconut milk - (thick ) - 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Cashew chopped - 2 tbsp

Raisins - 2 tbsp



Wash & soak dhal in water for 1 hour.

Pressurise with 1 cup of water for 2 whistles.

Cool , open & drain the water.

Don’t bother if there is no water to drain.

In another vessel take 1/3 cup of water ( or the drained water ) , add jaggery ,heat on a low flame to dissolve jaggery completely .

Strain to remove impurities in jaggery & keep ready.

To the dhal add jaggery water , thin coconut milk & boil for 5 mts.

If you like the dhal soft , either cook for 3 whistles at the beginning or lightly mash part of the dhal.

When the mixture has boiled well, simmer the stove , add thick coconut milk & cardamom powder , mix thoroughly & remove from fire.

Do not allow boiling after adding the thick milk , because curdling may occur.

Stir for some time till the thick milk blends well .

In a small kadai , heat 2 tsp ghee , fry the cashews & raisins & add to the payasam.

I f you are planning to make for many people it is better to add sago in the following way to give thickness to the payasam.

For 1 cup of dhal , fry 2 tbsp sago in 2 tsp ghee , add & pressurise with the dhal.

This payasam is called “Paruppu Pradhaman”in Kerala.

 

Pineapple Payasam-Exotic Taste, Reminding you of Pina Colada!

Pineapple Payasam- Exotic Taste, reminding you of Pina Colada!

Pineapple pieces - 3 cups ( very finely chopped )

Sugar - 1 ¼ cups ( if the fruit is sweet )

Coconut milk - 2 no:s 200ml cartons

(You can substitute 2 cups medium fresh coconut milk+1 cup thick milk )

Sago - 1 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cashew chopped - 2 tbsp

Raisins - 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp

In a pressurepan,heat 2 tbsp ghee, roast cashew pieces & raisins , remove, add sago & fry till they all puff up uniformly.

Add pineapple pieces & ½ cup water.

Close the cooker & keep the weight.

After the 1<SUP>st</SUP> whistle comes, simmer the stove & cook for 5 mts.

Cool, open & lightly mash for a uniform mixture.

Add sugar , dissolve on a low heat, stirring well.

Now add the second milk or 1 carton coconut milk mixed with 1 carton of water.

Cook, stirring on medium fire.

Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder & first milk or one carton coconut milk & switch off the flame immediately.

Mix very well adding roasted cashews & raisins.

 

Eggless Vanilla and Chocolate Gateau-Make this & stun your guests!

Eggless Vanilla and Chocolate Gateau:

Maida 1 ½ cups

Sodabicarb 1 tsp

Cocoa powder 3 tbsp

Salt ¼ tsp

Powdered sugar 1 cup

Milk 1 cup

Any odourless oil 5 tbsp

White vinegar 1 tbsp

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Sieve first five ingredients together.

To this, add sugar, milk, oil, vinegar & vanilla essence.

Beat well to blend all ingredients thoroughly.

Bake in a greased & floured round tin at 350-375 degrees F till done.

The syrup to soak the cake:

Powdered sugar - 2 tbsp

Water - 4 tbsp

To soak in the above syrup:

Raisins - 2 tbsp

Filling with raisins:

Chopped nuts - 2 tbsp

To assemble:

!/2 litre of vanilla ice cream ( as given in this thread )

Fresh Cream - 200gms

Powdered sugar - 3 tbsp

For decoration:

Few cherries.

When the raisins are well soaked, remove & mix with nuts.

Keep the above mixture & syrup separately.

Divide the cake into 3 slices horizontally.

Sprinkle the syrup equally on all the three slices.

Beat cream & powdered sugar & keep ready.

In a serving dish put one slice, soaked in syrup, carefully.

On top of this spread half the ice cream & sprinkle half of the nut-raisin mixture over this.

Put a second slice on top & repeat the above procedure.

Now put the third slice on top.

Completely cover this with sweetened cream & decorate elegantly with cherries.

Chill for 3-4 hrs & serve.
You are sure to win appreciation!

 

WheatRawa Payasam - Goduma Prathaman of Kerala.

Since I have given Gram dhal payasam with jaggery & coconut milk , I am giving this with sugar & plain milk. They can be interchanged.

Wheat rava - ½ cup

Moong dhal - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 1 cup (more or less is optional )

Milk - 2-21/2 cups

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Cashew broken - 2 tbsp

Raisins - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Roast the dhal till the colour changes lightly.

Soak in water for 1 hr.

In a pressure pan, heat I tbsp ghee, add rava & roast till an aroma comes.

Add 1 1/2 cups water , drained moong dhal, close the cooker & cook for 3 whistles.

Cool, open & mix well, to break the dhal , to blend.

Add milk & boil for 10 mts on a medium flame.

Add sugar & cardamom powder, immediately lower the flame .

Mix to dissolve the sugar completely - do not boil.

Remove & stir well for a few mts.

Fry the cashews & raisins in ghee & add.

Depending on the desired consistency, dhal can be omitted also.

The same payasam if made with jaggery & coconut milk ( as is given for gram dhal payasam ) becomes “ gothuma prathaman “ of Kerala.

Instead of moong dhal 1 tbsp sago can be roasted in ghee & added along with wheat rava, to be cooked.

Both sago & moong dhal are added only to make the payasam little thick – there is nothing wrong if you omit them.

The same payasam can be prepared with samba meals rava which has bigger grains. In that case pressure cook for 4 whistles.

 

Makhana Kheer - let us try a different kheer

Makhana is dried lotus seeds, looks like a puffed white light ball, the size of marble & is available in North Indian grocery section.

Milk - 1 litre

Makhana - 1 cup

Sugar - ½ - ¾ cup

Ghee - 2 tsp

Chopped, assorted nuts - ¼ cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Saffron colour - 1-2 drops

Icecream essence - few drops

It is preferable to use full cream milk to get a rich kheer.

Fry the makhanas lightly in 1 tsp ghee & powder.

Boil milk, reduce it to half the volume, stirring regularly.

Add sugar , stir till it dissolves.

Now add the makhana powder & blend well.

Simmer for a few mts, add cardamom powder, saffron colour & remove.

Fry the nuts in 1 tsp ghee & add along with icecream essence.

If you prefer, nuts can be added raw without frying.

Chopped dates can be added for a variation.

Serve hot or cold.

 

Apple Firni - North visits South.

Milk 1 litre (preferably full cream)

Basmati rice ½ cup minus 2 tsp

Sugar 1 cup

Apples 3

Cardamom pdr 1 tsp

Nutmeg pdr 1 tsp

Saffron ¼ tsp(warm & powder)

Chopped almonds 1 tbsp

Chopped pistachios 1 tbsp

Wash & soak the rice for I hour.

Keep 1 cup of milk cold & boil the rest.

Drain the rice & grind it very fine using the cold milk little by little.

Mix the rest of the cold milk to the paste.

When the milk starts boiling, add the rice-milk paste in a stream with one hand, stirring continuously with the other.

The stirring has to be done very well & thoroughly to prevent lump formation.

Now reduce the stove & cook on very low heat ,stirring continuously, for atleast 10 mts.

If possible keep a pan on the stove & below the cooking vessel to prevent scorching because the mixture is quite thick.

When the mixture is well cooked add the sugar & stir in a low fire to dissolve it.

Now add spices & remove.

Peel & grate 2 apples & add when the mixture has cooled well.

Refrigerate & serve cold.

More or less sugar is optional.

This dish is best set in a mud pot & decorated with thin apple slices ( preferably in 2 colours) & assorted nuts "casually sprinkled".

 

Moong Dhal ki Kheer - we call it Pasiparuppu Payasam

For SBS photos, please go to
Moong Dhall ki Kheer

Moong dhal - ½ cup

Jaggery powdered - 1 cup (can be little less)

Milk - 1-1 1/2 cups

Cardamom powder - ½ tsp

Nutmeg powder - ½ tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Cashews & raisins - 1 tbsp each

Lightly roast moong dhal till an aroma comes & soak in boiling water for minimum 30 mts.

Wash well & cook in 1 ½ cups of water in a pressurepan for 2 whistles.

Simulaneously add 1/2 cup of water to jaggery & heat to dissolve completely.

Strain & add to the boiled dhal in the cooker, when you cool & open it.

Boil for 5 mtes.


Add spices & remove from the stove.

Add milk (already boiled) to this & mixture & stir well for a few mts. The consistency is your choice. In the photo, note that the stove is switched off.
Heat ghee in a small pan, roast nuts & raisins well & add.

Refer to Tips on Payasam.