Cookies

Most of us associate Valentine’s Day with flowers and chocolates. If you are lucky then perhaps a romantic dinner at an expensive restaurant. However, nothing impresses your loved one more than going above and beyond and preparing something decadent in your own kitchen. Ok, let’s forget that part about going above and beyond, how about making a dessert that is simple yet awesome enough that , that special someone is left with no choice but to say ‘I Love you.’ 🙂 Let’s not get crazy here, I am sharing with 14 simple Indian desserts that you can make and share with your loved ones this Valentine’s Day.

1. Indian Milk Cake:

I love to prepare this delicious Indian sweet called Kalakand or Indian Milk cake for my brother as it is his favourite. Instead of Saffron, you can use artificial red food coloring to give it a nice red touch for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp Saffron (to be dissolved in 2 tbsp milk)
2 tbsp chopped dry fruit of your choice like Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews etc
1 Lt. Full cream Milk (homo Milk- 3.25 %)
2 tbsp Vinegar
150 Ml Condensed Milk (about 1/2 cup)
2 tbsp butter or ghee
1 tsp Elaichi/Cardamom Powder
and patience

1. Dissolve Saffron in 2 tbsp milk
2. Grind or make coarse powder out of Cardamom seeds. You can skip this step by using Elaichi Powder. I prefer to make mine fresh as Elaichi powder can loose its aroma quickly.
3. Make Paneer (Indian style Cottage Cheese/Ricotta). For this pour 1 Lt. milk in heavy bottom pot/pan and bring it to boil. As it starts boiling, add 2 tbsp vinegar so that it can start curdling up. Separate paneer from whey. Whey is nutritious. Keep it for making soups, curries, to use as vegetable stock, to knead dough for paratha or roti.
4. Transfer paneer in a pan. Add butter/ghee and cook for 7-8 mins. Then add condensed milk and cardamom powder. Cook further for 15 mins until everything comes together and milk is almost dries up.
5. Transfer onto a plate/pan, let it cool down and put in thr fridge so that it can set. For quick cooling, put it in the freezer section. after about 2-3 hours, cut in desired shapes and serve.

This dessert/Indian milk cake is so tasty. It’s gooey, soft, melt in your taste quality.

2. Gulabjamun:

Gulabjamun’s are round brown Indian style doughnuts. No one who ever had Gulabjamun’s ever said he didn’t like them. Here is a simple Gulabjamun recipe for you to try this Valentine’s Day

Ingredients:
2 cups Sugar
2 cups water

(Above 2 ingredients to make sugar syrup)
Syrup can be flavored with green cardamom or rose water.

Oil for deep frying
200 ml whipped cream
1 cup all purpose flour ( maida)
1.5 cup dry milk powder
1 tsp baking powder

1. Add sugar and water in a pot. Bring to a boil to make syrup. Set Aside.
2. Mix all purpose flour, whipping cream, baking powder and dry milk powder to make smooth dough.
3. Form golf size balls out of the dough and then deep fry them until golden brown.
(Remember, keep the size slightly small because they are going to swell as they cook.)
4. Dip them in the sugar syrup and let stand for 7-8 mins.
(You can make these in advance for your next party too.)
5. Serve warm.

3. Coconut Burfi

A very simple coconut burfi recipe made from only a few ingredients: condensed milk, coconut, and cardamom powder. This is a really yummy and quick dessert to satisfy your sweet cravings after a good Indian meal. One of my favorite Indian Mithai.

Heat a pan and add tbsp of butter. Let it melt.
Add 14 oz can of condensed milk and 14 oz pack of sweet coconut flakes. Combine the ingredients in the pan. add cardamom powder and let everything cook for 5-6 mins.
Add dry fruit and then transfer on to a pan greased with butter/ghee. Spread evenly and cut in equal portions. Place in the fridge and let it set for about 2 hours.
Serve when completely set to your friends and family.

4. Phirni :

This Punjabi Dessert is very much like rice pudding but unique in its own way. Simple to prepare, it will leave your special someone wanting some more. This dessert is made with rice and milk.

5. Coconut Carrot Ladoo :

So you have made carrot halwa and coconut burfi several times before and all in the family simple love it. Well, how about impressing them with these melt in your mouth Coconut Carrot Ladoos.

Perfect for entertaining during the festival or holiday season. These melt in your mouth Indian sweets can stay good in the fridge for upto 2 weeks. They can be enjoyed warm, cold or room temp so get in the kitchen and try this recipe for this Diwali.
Wishing all our friends and viewers a very happy and prosperous Diwali.

Ingredients:
3 cups of carrots
300 ml of condensed milk
2/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp of ghee/butter

Method:

1. In a pan, add ghee or butter. Once hot add shredded carrots.
2. Thoroughly coat them with butter and roast for 7-8 mins (or until the raw flavor of carrots is out, they’lll start emitting nice aroma).
3. Add cardamom powder and coconut flakes. Roast for another 5 mins. We used dry unsweetened shredded coconut. Fresh coconut can also be used but it will just take longer to cook.
4. Add condensed milk. Bring to boil and then simmer until mixture starts thickening up and leaving sides of the pan. Turn off the heat. Let mixture cool down and transfer to a plate. Place it in the fridge for 4 hrs.
5. Roll out ladoos and serve at room temp.

6. Khoya Burfi- Indian Fudge :

This delicious Indian Dessert or popular Indian sweet called Khoya Burfi or Mawa Burfi (Mawa Bites) can be shaped into hearts and served for Valentine’s day. You can also serve it at your next party or make it during the festival season. All you need for this Indian recipe is Khoya, condensed milk, ghee, sugar, saffron, elaichi powder( cardamom powder) and some dry fruit. This can easily last in the fridge for upto 2 weeks. Try this decadent Indian dessert today.

7. Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding) :

Indian Rice pudding (one of the most popular Indian desserts) is made using milk, rice, sugar, saffron and green cardamom. It is often served during weddings and religious ceremonies.

8. Bread Pudding (Desi style quick and easy dessert)

Let’s be brutally honest and say you suck at making desserts. Am I being too blunt? Well, I am only trying to help here. Try this quick Indian style bread pudding which is a no-brainer. For this recipe, you will only need:  Bread slices, butter, milk, sugar, saffron and green cardamom.

9. Kesar Badam Kulfi (Indian Icecream flavoured with Saffron and Almonds) 

You don’t need hot summer days to enjoy this flavourful Indian icecream. If your loved ones love icecream then treat them to this wonderful Kulfi. You don’t even need icecream maker for this beauty.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

1 Can of Evaporated Milk
1 Can of Condensed Milk
1 Slice of Bread
8-10 Saffron Strands
1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
2 tbsp blanched and sliced Almonds
1- 2 tbsp slivered almonds for garnish

Method:

1. Remove the crust from the bread and crumble it up. Put it in a bowl and add can of evaporated milk.
2. Let the bread soften up. Add Saffron strands and almonds.
3. Add Condensed milk can and cardamom powder.
4. Blend everything together and pour it in popsicle moulds, plastic cups or a container.
5. Let freeze overnight or atleast 4-6 hrs. Once frozen, take out from the freezer, remove from the mould and serve the way you desire.

10. Almond Cashew Cookies

Even if you are not a baker, these cookies are really simple to prepare. You can wake up your special someone with a cup of Chai tea and handful of these cookies and they will look forward to come back home and join you for dinner. You can even prepare these for your kids for their school lunch box.

11. Irresistible Cream Cheese Truffles 

Want to do something fancy for your special someone this year. You got to try these cream cheese truffles. These might look fancy but they are super easy to make. One bite of these and trust me your loved ones will fall in love with you all over again.

This is a no fuss, no bake, easy dessert, perfect to make for your next holiday party or to give as a gift to teachers, neighbors or hard to please friends. It is rich, decadent and a definite crowd pleaser. You can make assorted varieties of these truffles by using different coatings. This showstopper dessert is a must try this Valentine’s day.

Ingredients:

8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
5 oz Semi-sweet chocolate
3-4 cups Confectioner’s sugar

Coating ideas:
Chopped peanuts, walnuts, almonds
Icing sugar
Cocoa
Coconut flakes
Sugar candy bits etc

Method:
1. Melt Chocolate in a bowl in microwave or over saucepan.
2. Beat cream cheese and add in sugar and mix together. Add melted chocolate and beat together.
3. Let chill for 45 mins to an hour. When firm, take small round golf size ball quantity and coat in coconut flakes, peanuts, cocoa etc.
4. Place in small muffin/baking cups for serving.

This make ahead easy dessert can last in the fridge easily for upto 2 weeks.

12. Mini Maple Pecan Tarts 

Learn how to prepare mini pecan pies flavoured with Maple by watching this recipe video and take them to your next family gathering or make them for yourself , indulge and feel loved. My Indo-Canadian family absolutely loves these mini pecan pies (Maple Pecan Tarts). It is one of the best desserts out there. It’s simple, quick and easy – just perfect little bite after your Valentine’s day dinner.

Ingredients:

12 mini Pie Shells/ Tart shells
(To save time, I used store bought but you are welcome to prepare your own)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar (If your tart shells are sweet, you can decrease the quantity of sugar)
3 tbsp Maple Syrup
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Method: Preheat oven to 400 F and line the muffin pan with pie shells (along with the tin). Pour chopped pecans evenly among the pie shells. Prepare the filling by whisking together all the other ingredients and cook for 15-18 mins. The edges will turn golden brown and filling will turn dark brown. Take out from the oven and let it cool before serving.

13.  Badam Kheer (Almond Pudding) 

 You can easily prepare this restaurant quality dessert in the comfort of your own kitchen using these simple ingredients.

2 cups Blanched Almonds
1.5- 2 cups Milk
3-4 Tbsp Ghee
1/4 to 1/2 Tsp Saffron
1/2 Tsp Cardamom Pwd
4 Tbsp Sugar (You can add more or less per your preference too)

14. Zucchini Halwa

This is comparatively a healthy dessert option and light as well. If you thought Zucchini was good only for salty dishes or Zucchini Bread then think again.

Ingredients:
2 cups grated Zucchini
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
1/2 cup sugar (adjust per taste)
1/2 cup homo milk (full cream)
(Can be susbtituted with Evaporated milk. To make the dessert more rich, use condensed milk and you can skip adding milk and sugar)
Few strands of Saffron
2 tbsp Butter (Or Desi Ghee)
1/3 cup Dry fruit of your choice for garnish (Raisins, Almonds, Cashews etc)

Method:
1. Heat Butter in a pan (or wok)
2. Add Zucchini and cook for 10 mins (until raw smell is gone, Zucchini becomes tender and looses moisture)
3. Add Milk, Saffron and Sugar and cook until milk dries up or is soaked in by Zucchini.
4. Mix in Cardamom Powder and dry fruit of your choice and Serve.
Best Served Warm.

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day 2014