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Diwali, widely known as the festival of lights, marks the triumph of light over darkness. It stands as the most extensively celebrated Indian festival and feels a bit like holiday festivities abroad. The occasion is linked to fireworks, bright colours, non-stop gatherings and tables creaking under the substantial bulk of dishes and sweet treats. Not a single Diwali is complete without boxes of sweets and preserved fruits shared among kin and companions. In the UK, these customs are maintained, putting on festive attire, attending religious sites, narrating ancient Indian stories to the kids and, most importantly, meeting with companions from all walks of life and faiths. In my view, Diwali represents togetherness and sharing food that feels special, but won’t leave you in the kitchen for hours. This bread-based dessert is my version of the decadent shahi tukda, while the spherical sweets are ideal for presenting or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the banquet.

Effortless Ladoos (Shown Above)

Ladoos are some of the most recognizable Indian desserts, right up there with gulab jamuns and jalebis. Imagine a traditional Indian halwai’s shop filled with treats in various shapes, hue and dimension, all skillfully made and liberally topped with ghee. Ladoos often take the spotlight, rendering them a favored option of present for festive events or for giving to gods and goddesses at religious sites. This adaptation is one of the most straightforward, calling for a small set of items, and can be made in no time.

Prep 10 min
Cook 50 minutes along with cooling
Makes approximately 15-20

110g ghee
250 grams of gram flour
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder
1 pinch saffron (optional)
2 ounces of assorted nuts, heated and broken into pieces
180 to 200 grams of granulated sugar, as per liking

Liquefy the clarified butter in a non-stick skillet on a medium flame. Turn down the heat, add the gram flour and simmer, with constant mixing to integrate it into the melted ghee and to make sure it doesn’t catch and burn. Continue heating and mixing for half an hour to 35 minutes. At the start, the mix will resemble wet sand, but with further heating and stirring, it will become similar to peanut butter and emit a delightful nutty aroma. Do not attempt to speed it up, or neglect the mixture, because it may scorch quickly, and the slow roast is vital for the typical, roasted flavor of the sweet balls.

Remove the pan from the stove, mix in the cardamom and saffron, if added, then leave to cool until slightly warm when touched.

Add the nuts and sugar to the room temperature ladoo mix, stir completely, then break off small pieces and form using your palms into 15 to 20 balls of 4cm. Put these on a plate spaced slightly apart and allow to cool to room temperature.

You can now serve the ladoos immediately, or keep them in a sealed container and maintain at room temperature for about seven days.

Classic Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by the shahi tukda from Hyderabad, a recipe that is usually prepared by sautéing bread in ghee, then immersing it in a dense, creamy rabdi, which is created by simmering full-fat milk for a long time until it thickens to a fraction of its original volume. My version is a more nutritious, simpler and faster option that demands minimal supervision and enables the oven to take over the task.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour or more
Serves 4 to 6

Twelve slices day-old white bread, crusts cut off
100g ghee, or melted butter
1 litre whole milk
A 397-gram tin thickened milk
150g sugar, or as preferred
a small pinch of saffron, steeped in 30ml of milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom, or the seeds from 2 pods, crushed
a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg powder (as an option)
40 grams of almonds, roughly chopped
40g raisins

Cut the bread into triangles, spread all but a teaspoon of the ghee over both sides of each piece, then place the triangles as they sit in a buttered, approximately 20cm by 30cm, oblong baking pan.

In a large bowl, whisk the milk, thick milk and sweetener until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the saffron and the milk it was soaked in, the cardamom and nutmeg, if included. Pour the milk mixture consistently across the bread in the dish, so everything is immersed, then allow to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/gas mark 6.

Bake the pudding for half an hour or so, until the top is golden brown and a skewer placed in the middle comes out clean.

In the meantime, liquefy the rest of the clarified butter in a little pot over medium heat, then fry the almonds until golden. Switch off the stove, mix in the raisins and let them simmer in the remaining warmth, mixing continuously, for one minute. Scatter the nut and raisin combination over the pudding and serve warm or chilled, plain as it is or alongside a portion of vanilla ice-cream.