Bright red prawns curled like a bent back sit in every Shōgatsu osechi box in Japan as a wish to live until your back is bent with age, and their red is the colour of celebration. Simmered briefly in dashi, soy and sugar, they stay plump and juicy, and cooling in the liquid gives them a sweet-savoury flavour right through to the shell. The liquid includes sake and mirin, both rice wines; for no alcohol, replace the sake with extra dashi and the mirin with 3 tbsp water plus 1 tbsp sugar. Use frozen head-on prawns, thawed in the fridge. Serve cold or at room temperature in the osechi box, or warm with rice. Chef's tip: lift the prawns out as soon as they turn pink, reduce the liquid, then return them; this keeps them tender.
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Mulayum pak is a soft, rich Gujarati sweet of gram flour rubbed with ghee and milk (dhraba), roasted golden with puffed edible gum (gund) and plenty of nuts, then set with a saffron milk syrup. It's fragrant with cardamom, nutmeg and mace and melts in the mouth. Makes about 42 squares; serve at Diwali or keep in a tin for guests.
A fresh, fruity kulfi: milk thickened with cornflour and sweetened with condensed milk, then mixed with cream, cashew powder, tangerine juice and segments and frozen in moulds. It's creamy, nutty and citrusy. Serve slices straight from the freezer, garnished with cashews and tangerine.
Kulfi is India's dense, creamy frozen dessert, made by boiling milk down to half and enriching it with mawa (khoya, dried milk solids), condensed milk, saffron, cardamom and ground nuts. It freezes slowly into a firm, rich ice that's sliced rather than scooped. Serve it in slices, garnished with almonds and pistachios.
A rich no-bake dessert of ground brown bread mixed with drinking chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and brown sugar, soaked with cream and topped with a smooth white chocolate, cream cheese and sour cream layer. It's creamy, chocolatey and fruity. Make it in a glass bowl and serve chilled.
Pretty little plaits of saffron, almond and pistachio pastry, deep-fried until golden and dipped in a light saffron syrup. They're crisp outside, soft and nutty inside, and finished with almond and pistachio flakes and cardamom. Makes about 30; lovely on a festive sweet platter.
Roasted fine vermicelli cooked in milk until thick with saffron, cardamom and sugar, with chopped apple stirred in, then cooled and topped with ice cream, crunchy roasted vermicelli and nuts. It's creamy, fragrant and fun to eat. Serve it cool in individual bowls.
Sweet bundi are tiny pearls of gram flour batter, fried until just set and tossed in warm saffron and cardamom syrup with flaked nuts. They're soft, juicy and bright orange. Serve as a festive sweet or offering, or spoon over rabdi or ice cream.
A quick no-cook barfi made from crushed wheat biscuit cereal and tea biscuits bound with butter and sweetened condensed milk, with coconut, nuts, nutmeg and saffron. It's chewy, sweet and easy enough for children to help with. Makes 40 pieces.
A royal festive sweet: rounds of crisp pastry wrapped around a rich filling of mawa (khoya), roasted coconut, almonds and pistachios, fried in ghee and dipped in a warm mix of ghee and icing sugar. Decorated with nuts and rose petals, they're crumbly, rich and fragrant with cardamom. Makes 50.
A two-minute dessert for one: scoops of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with crushed amaretti biscuits and drizzled with amaretto. It's creamy, crunchy and almondy. The amaretto is alcoholic and amaretti biscuits are usually made with egg white, so check the packet; see the last step for swaps.
A striking three-layer barfi: a white layer of milk powder and coconut, a middle of melted chocolate, and a yellow layer of saffron cashew fudge on top. Cut into diamonds, it shows off its stripes and tastes rich, nutty and creamy. Makes 30–35; a showpiece for festive sweet boxes.
Classic choux pastry éclairs filled with sweetened whipped cream, topped with coffee icing and a zigzag of melted chocolate. They're crisp, light and creamy. Note that choux pastry is made with eggs. Serve them the day they're filled.
An eggless take on tiramisu: soft home-baked sponge fingers soaked in a Baileys and coffee cream, covered with whipped cream and cream cheese, and finished with grated white and dark chocolate and strawberries. It contains alcohol (Baileys Irish cream liqueur); see the last step for an alcohol-free swap. Make it a few hours ahead so it can chill and set.
A no-churn cassata of three layers frozen together: vanilla with chopped nuts, strawberry, and mint with chocolate chips. The base is whipped cream and whisked frozen evaporated milk, so no ice-cream machine is needed. It makes about 3 litres; slice it for parties.
A light cheesecake built on a soft orange sponge base, with a set filling of condensed milk, cream cheese, cream and orange juice, topped with whipped cream and sliced kiwi fruit. It's tangy, creamy and refreshing. The book sets it with gelatine, which is not vegetarian; the last step gives an agar-agar swap.
A light, set milk pudding inspired by faluda: milk and evaporated milk sweetened and set with agar-agar, tinted pale pink and flavoured with cardamom. It's cool, smooth and wobbly, and fully vegetarian. Serve chilled in little bowls, topped with almonds and pistachios.
A no-cook pudding of crushed ginger biscuits soaked in apple juice, topped with fresh coconut, cashews, kiwi and grapes and finished with sweetened cream. It's fresh, creamy and gently spiced. Serve chilled; it's ready in minutes.
A cool layered pudding of ripe mango with cardamom and almonds, covered with a vanilla milk 'faluda' set with agar-agar. It's fruity, creamy and lightly spiced, and fully vegetarian. Make it in a glass dish so the layers show, and serve chilled with mango slices, cherries and almonds.
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