Diwali (sweetwali) 2015!

Diwali 2015 is around the corner and everyone is busy dusting, cleaning and repainting their homes. After all, this is the festival of lights and happiness. This Diwali (sweetwali) 2015 why not present some innovative sweet dessert to your family and loved ones, after the Lakshmi pujan. SOUL, along with Chef Aman Tandon (of Pride Hotels), brings you kuch mitha hojaye with a twist this Diwali? Yep, we bring you ‘THE ASTRAL ODYSSY’, which consists of checkered Belgian chocolate cups with our own awadhi zafrani phirni on a bed of alphanso mango compote. This delectable fusion affair of classic saffron rich Indian milk, with the goodness of basmati pearls, is going to be a delight for anybody and everybody visiting your home this Diwali (sweetwali) 2015.

For the Chocolate Cups.

1 cup single cream
200 gms good quality dark chocolate compound

200 gms good quality white chocolate compound
1 tbsp unsalted butter each in chocolate ganache for good shine
2 ml vanilla essence. Only in white chocolate ganache.

Ingredients for Zafrani Phirni

5oo ml full cream milk
2 tbsp. rice
150 gms sugar
1 tsp. green cardamom (crushed)
1/4 pinch saffron dissolved in luke warm milk

Method:

• Soak rice in water for few hours, then drain water and grind rice into a smooth paste.
• In a non-stick saucepan bring milk. Over a moderately low heat add rice, sugar and cardamom and stir constantly till milk turns thick.
• Remove from heat and allow it to cool.

 For Chocolate cups

• On a double boiler place the single cream and heat the cream on a medium flame hot, but not boiling.
• Reduce the heat to very low and add the chocolate, sugar, and vanilla essence. Using a whisk, stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted. Continue to whisk the chocolate mixture until a smooth glazy mixture.

Do the same process for the white chocolate compound and ensure are kept ready separately for lining the cups at a luke warm temperature in individual bowls .

Lining of the cups.

• Line 4 mini (1.5 – 2 -inch) muffin cups with paper liners.
• Make piping bags of individual dark chocolate and white chocolate compounds.
• Pipe the compounds artistically in a checkered form one after the other, quickly forming a uniform layer of chocolate cover over the muffin cup.
• Quickly place them back in refrigerator to cool down and form a crisp mold of chocolate cup. Gently remove the paper cups and the cups are ready.
• Now take these cups and fill them with the phirni that we have prepared and garnish with pistachio/ nuts chocolate serve chilled.

 Step by step fill the cups of checkered chocolates.

Place them over a bed of Mango Compote.

 Mango Compote.

Compote
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel
4 large ripe mangoes (5 to 6 pounds), peeled and pitted

For compote: Stir first 4 ingredients in large bowl until sugar dissolves. Mix in mangoes. Cover them & chill.

SOUL tip: It is a bit extravagant but why not it’s Diwali after all. Make sure you treat every single person visiting your home this Diwali.

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