Have Your Just Desserts This Summer — 3 Recipes

There something so irresistible about desserts, that they can break the resolve of almost any person in the world. Even the most disciplined health food eater can sometimes be swayed by a delicious custard, or a bowl of butterscotch ice cream, or a tempting red velvet cup cake. Desserts round off a meal and add a delightful full stop — the sugar rush notwithstanding, it signals the end of the meal to your brain and body, and gives you a wonderful stupor that carries you to the next meal.

But not all desserts are created equal. Some people prefer Indian desserts while others prefer cakes and doughnuts. Why not have a mix of both on your desserts menu? Let some of them savour gulab jamuns and kheer, while the rest can eat cake!

Thinking of adding new dessert items to your food menu? Here are our top 3 dessert picks for the summer:

• Chocolate custard. We absolutely love this chocolate custard recipe for its simplicity and heavenly taste. Combining the soft delight of the custard texture with the irresistible taste of chocolate, this custard calls out to you on hot afternoons or balmy summer evenings. It is the easiest one to make as well — use a good custard powder, two spoons of unsweetened cocoa, milk and sugar, and boil the lot on a medium flame. Stir every few minutes to ensure there are no lumps. Remove from the flame to allow it to cool. Custard begins to thicken as it cools, so portion it out in bowls before it sets completely. Allow it to rest and set into a thicker consistency in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. Garnish with sprinkles and serve cold.
• Dutch coffee custard. This one’s one of our favourites, too. It is decadent and slightly complex to make, so getting the proportions right is key. Mix custard powder with milk and set aside in a bowl after stirring properly. In a saucepan, melt sugar over medium heat and add a few spoons of milk to allow gradual caramelisation. Once the sugar starts to caramelise, add coffee powder to the mix and stir briskly till the milk is boiling. Allow it to become a little crusty, then reduce the heat to low and continue cooking. Now add the custard powder mix into the saucepan and stir till it thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in an egg yolk rapidly into the custard. Meanwhile, take a glass bowl and beat the egg whites to form peaks. Complete the custard by folding the egg white foam into the mixture gradually. Pour in custard bowls and refrigerate till it sets.
• Gulabi nariyal kheer. Your customers will be bowled over by this delicious kheer that tastes groovy both hot and cold. It is hearty and refreshing, and a great fit for a celebratory party. Grab a handful of scented rose petals and boil them in milk till it reduces to half. Add cardamom powder, sugar and custard powder to the milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Keep boiling on low flame to a thick consistency. Now remove it from the flame and add coconut milk and grated coconut to it, stirring gently but continuously. It will be thick in consistency by now. Garnish with fried cashews and serve cold.

The most succulent desserts come out of your kitchen every day — give them an edge with the best food products like baking and custard powders of a high quality.