Category Archives: Sweets

Cakes, Cookies, Squares, Dessert and Sweets

Badam Pak(Goor Pak)

Mithai, Sweets

Goor Pak

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makes 20 pieces

Ingredients

  • 1/4              lb goond
  • 1 1/2           lb butter
  • 1 1/4           lb whole wheat flour
  • 1                 cup powder milk
  • 1 1/4           lb crushed almonds
  • 3/4              lb goor
  • 1/4              cup water
  • 1                 tsp cardamom seeds crushed
  • 1/2              tsp nutmeg powder
  • 1                 tbsp kas kas(poppyseeds)
  • 1/4              cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4              cup slivered pistachio
  • 2                 cups oil for frying goond

Instructions

  1. In a frying pan heat the oil.  When the oil is hot add 1 tbsp of goond at a time.  The goond will pop up and it will be transparent. Turn it, making sure the goond is transparent on all sides.  Take it out of the frying pan into a colander and let it drain.  Leave it aside.
  2. In a large saucepan over medium hot heat, melt 1-1/2 lb butter and fry the whole wheat flour. The flour is ready when the butter starts bubbling and the flour is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
  3. Add the milk powder and stir it for a few minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat, add the cardamom, nutmeg, crushed almonds, goond and mix well.
  5. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat add chopped goor, remaining  and 1/4 cup of water.  Let it cook till the goor melts and the mixture starts to bubble, about 10 minutes.
  6. Pour the goor mixture into the flour mix and mix well.
  7. Over medium heat cook the mix for about 5 minutes stirring continuously.
  8. Pour the mix into a well greased 10 X 12 inch cake tin.  Spread it evenly.  Sprinkle kas kas, slivered almonds and slivered pistachios.  Roll it with a rolling pin to make it smooth, or smooth it with the back of a spoon let it set overnight.
  9. With a sharp knife cut into square or diamonds and serve.

The pak can be stored in an air tight container for a couple of weeks.

Thepla 2

Sweets

This recipe uses brown sugar and you can decorate the centre with a blanched almond.

Ingredients

  • 4              cups whole wheat flour
  • 1              cup milk powder
  • 1              cup sojee
  • 2              cups brown sugar
  • 1/2           tsp crushed elechi
  • 1              tsp crushed viriyari
  • 1/2           cup butter
  • 1              cup milk
  • 1/4           cup kas kas (poppy seeds)
  • 6              cups oil for frying
  • 40            blanched almonds (optional)

Paste

  • 2               tbsp white flour
  • 4               tbsp water

Mix it together and make a paste.

Instructions

  1. In a bowl add the whole wheat flour, powder milk, sojee, brown sugar  elechi, viriyari.
  2. Cut the butter in small pieces and rub it in the flour mixture.
  3. Add the milk and make a  dough.  Divide the dough into 4 and make 4 balls. 
  4. Flatten the ball and sprinkle with kas kas.
  5. Roll the flattened ball to 1/4” thickness.
  6. Cut the rolled dough with a 5” cookie cutter.
  7. Dip the blanched almond in the paste and stick it in the centre of the round.
  8. Deep fry in medium hot oil  for about 5 min turning once.
  9. Drain on paper towel.

If you are not using almonds for decoration, you can make the theplas smaller.

Theplas can be stored in an airtight container for a week.

Fruit Salad

Sweets

You can use any fruit combination and make a fruit salad.  In East. Africa, we used passion fruit and  papaya and served it with custard or just poured evaporated milk on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 2             bananas sliced
  • 2             apples 1/2 cubed
  • 2             cups 1/2” cubed watermelon
  • 2             cups 1/2 cubed cantaloupe
  • 2             cups honeydew
  • 1             ripe mango, peeled and cubed
  • 2             cups sliced strawberry
  • 2             cups blueberries
  • 1             can jackfruit sliced
  • 1             can lychees quartered

Instructions

  1. Mix all the fruit together.
  2. Discard the jackfruit syrup, but add the lychee syrup and cool it.
  3. Serve with ice cream, custard or whipping cream.

Kajoo (Cashew) Burfi

Sweets

 

The name is derived from the Persian word barf which means “snow”, since burfi is similar to ice/snow in appearance, this is why it is served cold. 
Burfi is a sweet confectionery from the Indian subcontinent.  Burfi is made from milk cooked with sugar until it solidifies.  Burfi is often flavoured with fruit(such as mango or coconut) or nuts(such as cashew, almonds, pistachio) and spices such ass cardamom, nutmeg and saffron.  Burfi is sometimes coated with a thin layer of edible metallic leaf known as Vark.  They are typically cut into squares, diamonds or round shapes.  Different types of Burfi vary in their colour and texture.

Burfi is one of the most popular sweet enjoyed at any Indian festival.

NewImage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1              can 12oz evaporated milk
  • 1              lb ground cashews
  • 1              lb sugar
  • 1/2           lb unsalted butter
  • 6              cups powdered milk
  • 1/2           tsp cardamom powder
  •                 Few strands saffron

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter, add milk and sugar.
  2. Add cashews, cardamom and saffron.  Cook for about 5 min stirring constantly.  Add powdered milk and mix well until it becomes a thick paste.
  3. Pour mixture in a greased 10” x 12” pan and spread evenly.  When completely cool, cut into squares using a sharp knife.

Kajoo Barfi

Kulfi

Sweets

Kulfi Kulfi 1

 

 

 

 

Serves 16

Ingredients

  • 2                (395 ml each) cans evaporated Milk
  • 1                can condensed milk
  • 500            ml whipping cream
  • 1/2             tsp elechi seeds
  • 1/2             tsp nutmeg powder
  • 1/2             tsp saffron
  • 1/4             cup chopped almonds
  • 1/4             cup chopped pista
  •                   rice noodles for decoration
  •                  couple of drops of red coloring

Instructions

  1. Whip the cream till it is light and fluffy.
  2. Add the milks, elechi, nutmeg, and saffron and pour it in a           8” X10” glass dish.  Sprinkle the almonds and pista on it and freeze it over night. 
  3. On the day you want to serve,boil the rice noodles with the red coloring.  Cool it.
  4. Take the Kulfi out of the freezer 15 minutes before serving.
  5. Serve it on a bed of noodles.

Cheese Scones

Sweets

Scones are quickly made, economical , and so good to eat, specially served hot with clotted cream and jam for afternoon tea.

Fruit and cheese scones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 8              oz flour
  • 2              heaped tsp baking powder
  • 1/2           tsp salt
  • 2              oz butter
  • 2              oz grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2           cup fresh milk

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl mix  together flour, baking powder and salt.
  2. Cut butter into small pieces and rub into flour.
  3. Add grated cheese.
  4. Add milk to the flour mixture and mix together with the blade of a knife to form a soft dough.
  5. Sprinkle a board with flour, turn out the dough, sprinkle with flour and knead very lightly and quickly with the tips of the fingers.
  6. Roll out dough to 1/2” thickness, cut rounds with 2” cutter, and place a little apart on a greased baking tray.  Press the remaining pieces of dough together, knead very lightly, roll out, and cut into rounds.
  7. Brush over the tops of the round with milk.
  8. Bake in a preheated  425 degree oven for 10 – 12 min.

Fruit Scones

Sweets

 Fruit and Cheese Scones

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 8           oz white flour
  • 2           heaped tsp baking powder
  • 1/2        tsp salt
  • 2           oz butter
  • 2           oz raisins, currants, sultanas or any dried fruit
  • 2           oz sugar
  • 1/2        cup milk

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl mix  together flour, baking powder and salt.
  2. Cut butter into small pieces and rub into flour.
  3. Add the fruit and the sugar 
  4. Add milk to the flour mixture and mix together with the blade of a knife to form a soft dough.
  5. Sprinkle a board with flour, turn out the dough, sprinkle with flour and knead very lightly and quickly with the tips of the fingers.
  6. Roll out dough to 1/2” thickness, cut rounds with 2” cutter, and place a little apart on a greased baking tray.  Press the remaining pieces of dough together, knead very lightly, roll out, and cut into rounds.
  7. Brush over the tops of the round with milk.
  8. Bake in a preheated  425 degree oven for 10 – 12 min.

Mocha Ice Cream Brownie Bombe

Sweets

This is the Dessert for chocolate and coffee lovers! 

I found this recipe in a chatelaine magazine in mid nineties. It is a good dessert on  a warm day.  It is a fancy way of serving ice cream.

Makes 20 servingsMocha Ice cream Bombe

Ingredients

  • 4                cups Coffee ice cream
  • 4                cups Chocolate ice cream
  • 1                cup whipping cream
  • 8                oz  Bittersweet chocolate
  •                   finely chopped

Brownie Base

  • 1               cup butter
  • 1               cup Sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4               Eggs
  • 1-1/2         cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/4            cup Coffee liqueur or brewed espresso
  • 1               tsp Vanilla or rum extract
  • 1/2            cup All-purpose flour

Instructions

Brownie Base:

  1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat; stir in cocoa powder and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar until pale and thickened; stir in coffee liqueur and vanilla. 
  3. Fold in cocoa mixture, then flour.  Pour into greased and floured 9” spring form pan; bake in 350 degrees oven for about 35 minutes or until set but still slightly jiggly in centre. 
  4. Transfer to a rack; let cool for 1 hour.  Remove sides from pan; let cool completely.

 

  1. Let coffee ice cream stand at room temperature for 20 min. or until softened. 
  2. Line 9” diameter bowl with plastic wrap, leaving 3” overhang.
  3. Line bowl with even layer coffee ice cream, leaving 1” space at top.
  4. Freeze for about 30 min. or until firm.
  5. Fill with chocolate ice cream, pressing down and smoothing top, leaving 1” space at top.
  6. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about 2 hrs or until firm.
  7. In a small saucepan, heat whipping cream just until bubbles start to form around edge; remove from heat.  Pour over bittersweet chocolate, stirring until melted.  Let cool.
  8. Cut off any raised edges from top of brownie.  Spread top with 1/4 cup of chocolate mixture.  Invert brownie onto frozen ice cream, Pressing chocolate sauce against ice cream.  Freeze for about 1 hour or until firm.
  9. Remove plastic wrap.  Invert onto serving plate; remove bowl and plastic wrap. 
  10. Spoon 1/4 cup of the remaining chocolate mixture into piping bag.  Working quickly spread remaining chocolate mixture over dome of ice cream and brownie.  Freeze for about 30 min. or firm.
  11. Pipe chocolate mixture all over the bombe in squiggles.  Freeze bombe for about 30 minutes or firm.  ( Bombe can be covered loosely with plastic wrap and stored in rigid container in freezer for up to a week.)
  12. Let stand at room temperature for 15 min. before serving.

Topra Pak

Sweets

Topra pak ia a sweet meat made with coconut (topra).  It is very rich.  At home we  used fresh coconut only.  The coconut is split in half, we drank the coconut water and grated the coconut and used the flesh for the pak.  Here we use the dried coconut. 
 Topra Pak             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients 

  • 2                  cups oil for fryin
  • 1/2               cup gund
  • 3                  cups butter
  • 2                  cups Sojee (semolina or wheatlets)
  • 2                  cups powder milk
  • 1                  tsp crushed  elichi,(cardamom seeds)
  • 1/2               tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2               tsp saffron
  • 2                  cup almonds (crushed)
  • 6                  cups grated coconut  
  • 3                  cups Sugar
  • 1-1/2            cups water
  • 1/2               can evaporated Milk (395ml)

Decoration

  • 1/4               cup  chopped almonds, and pista  
  • 2                  tbsp kas kas (poppy seeds

Instruction                          

  • In a frying pan heat the oil to medium hot.  (oil is hot when if you put the handle of the spoon in oil tiny bubbles form around it.)   Add a tbsp of gund and fry.  The gund will puff up and become see through.  Remove from the oil and drain.  Fry the rest the same way.
  • Melt Butter in a large saucepan on medium hot heat and fry sojee till golden brown about 15 min. 
  • Add the milk powder and fry stirring for 5 min.
  • Add elechi, nutmeg,  saffron  fried gund, coconut, almonds,  and mix well.
  • In a small saucepan make a syrup with sugar and 11/2 cups water till it is 1 string.  (Drop some syrup on a plate,  Put some syrup between your finger and thumb  and pull your fingers apart.  You will see a string when you pull apart.)  Add this to the saucepan.  Add the milk and mix well.
  • Pour into a 13 x 18 inch tray.
  • Decorated it with almonds, pista and kas kas.
  • Let it set in a cool place.
  • Cut into squares or diamonds.

Tapra Pak Ingredients

Apricot Bars

Sweets

This is a recipe I got from Womans  Weekly magazine.
Sliced almonds and sweet butter-crumb topping turn tangy fruit and shortbread cookie bars into super treats.
You can use peaches or nectarines instead of apricots.

Makes 12 squares

319 calories per square.

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1                  lb apricots, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4               cup sugar
  • 1                  tbsp lemon juice  
  • 1/2               cup water

Pastry

  • 1 3/4             cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3                cup sugar
  • 1/2                tsp salt
  • 3/4                cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1                   egg
  • 1/4                tsp almond extract

Topping

  • 1/2                cup all-purpose flour
  • 2                   tbsp sugar
  • 1                   tsp grated lemon zest
  • 3                   tbsp butter, at room temperature
  • 2                   tbsp sliced natural almonds

Instruction

For the filling:

In a pot over high heat combine apricots, sugar, lemon juice and 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer, stirring frequently, until  thickened, about 20 minutes. freeze 30 minutes.

For Pastry

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Line 9” square baking pan with aluminum foil. 
  3. Combine flour, sugar and salt.
  4. With pastry blender or 2 knives cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  5. Lightly beat together egg and almond extract;  stir into flour mixture until dough forms. 
  6. Press dough into bottom of the pan; prick with a fork.
  7. Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden.
  8. Cool slightly.

For the Topping

  1. Combine flour, sugar and zest.
  2. Using fingers blend in butter until mixture is crumbly.
  3. Stir in almonds.
  4. Spread apricot filling over pastry;  sprinkle with crumb topping.
  5. Bake 30-35 minutes or until topping is golden.
  6. Cool on wire rack.
  7. Cut in Squares.