Dessert Archives - Mixed Roots

Ice Cream Phirni-ish

Kalpana Laitflang — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:02:34 +0000

One of my all time favourite Indian desserts is “Phirni” a lovely pudding made with rice that has been soaked and then ground very finely and then slowly cooked with milk, sugar and fragrant spice. I, of course, never have the patience or forethought to plan and then cook accordingly. Or even get the rice fine enough so that it doesn’t feel gritty when eaten.

I thought this was the most magical compromise that I probably enjoyed even more than the original!

This is a HUGE portion and will make a hearty portion for 6-8 eager adults.

INGREDIENTS
Rice Flour 6 heaped tbsps
Almond Meal* 2 heaped tbsps
Ghee / Butter 1/2 cup, about 125 gms
Cardamom Powder 1 tbsp
Vanilla Ice Cream 1 2 liter tub

METHOD
– In a heavy bottomed pan, melt the ghee or butter on a medium heat.
– Add the rice flour along with the almond meal and cook till the flour is a very light brown (take care as you don’t want the flour to burn).
– The cardamom powder goes next. Mix well.
– Scoop about a quarter of the tub of the vanilla ice cream and while it’s melting, keep an eye out for any lumps. You might need to use a whisk if you spot any.
– Add the rest of the ice cream and let slowly melt.
– Keep the heat relatively low and heat this decadent mixture right through while stirring occasionally to ensure that the flour doesn’t stick to the bottom.
– Pour into individual ramekins or containers and sprinkle a bit of cardamom. Other garnish options – crushed pistachios, slivered almonds or edible roses & flowers.
– You could also leave to rest in a wide dish and scoop out individual portions while serving.

Delicious hot or cold!

*Use an additional spoonful of rice flour if you have nut allergies.

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Caramel Custard

Kalpana Laitflang — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:23:46 +0000

Growing up as an “Army Brat”, dinner parties at the officers’ mess were a standard part of our lives. The highlight was the incredible array of desserts. And amidst the Indian “mithais” (desserts) there was that one platter of wobbling gooeyness that always had its own special spot in my pukku – “Caramel Custard”. A creamy and decadent pudding, I’ve now come to realize that it’s not as hard to make, as it had appeared to be, in my youth!

To make it festive and in keeping with the spirit of the upcoming Christmas season, here’s a version using our wonderful Yuletide Spiced honey.

You could always just make regular caramel, the way you usually do, if you’d rather keep to the classics. ☺️

Here’s my recipe. Let me know if you make. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you enjoyed it as much as us.

Something to keep in mind:

While making this, just remember to use a heat safe pan or bowl. You could also do smaller, individual ramekins. You will also need a larger baking tray to use as a water bath to bake your custard in.

It is also nice to strain your egg and milk mixture to have a nicer, smoother custard texture.

FOR THE HONEY CARAMEL:

1/4 cup cream

2 tbsp butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tbsp Yuletide Spiced honey

1 tsp water

MAKING THE HONEY CARAMEL

Combine the cream, butter, and salt in a saucepan. Heat on medium until the butter and salt are melted and dissolved. Stir occasionally. Take off the heat and keep aside.
In another pan, mix the honey, sugar and water and bring to a rolling boil, on a medium heat. Stir and swirl the pan occasionally.
Lower the heat and pour the cream and butter mixture into the sugar and honey.
Whisk constantly while pouring and when you have a rich caramel sauce, pour into your heat safe bowl.
Swirl it till it covers the entire base and some of the sides. Leave to cool. (You could even put it into the fridge to speed up the process.)

FOR THE CUSTARD

4 large eggs at room temperature.

2 cups milk

1/4 cup White sugar

2 tbsp Yuletide Spiced Honey

A splash of vanilla

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla till frothy.
On a low heat, mix the milk, sugar and honey till the sugar has dissolved.
Cool for a bit till the milk is still warm but not hot (you really don’t want scrambled eggs!)
Very slowly and in as thin a stream as possible, add the sweetened milk to the eggs.
Stir constantly.
Use a sieve to strain the custard mixture.
Pour into the prepared, caramelised bowl(s).
Carefully put the bowl(s) into a baking tray and pour boiling water till it is about an inch deep.
If you’re using individual ramekins, take care they do not touch.
Bake for 40 minutes. (Or till they look kinda cooked on the edges and still a little wrinkly and wobbly in the middle!) The custard will keep cooking as it cools.
Leave in the baking tray with the water for 15 minutes.
Refrigerate and cool completely before serving. At least 5-6 hours. Best left overnight.
To serve, use a butter knife to scrape the edges to loosen the custard. Take a plate and cover the mouth of the bowl and flip. Using a spoon, tap the bottom and remove the bowl. The caramel should just ooze over the top.

Yummo!

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‘Tis the Season – Gingerbread Cookies

Kalpana Laitflang — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 21:39:56 +0000

I still find it strange that we crave the northern hemisphere treats associated with Christmas, in the sweltering heat of New Zealand! And gingerbread cookies are another one of those things! (Gingernuts are a family favourite in our home and we love to dunk ours in cups of tea!)

This recipe has been adapted from a very easy recipe from BBC Good Food. It’s a family staple – easy and yummy. We’ve used our fragrantly delicious Masala Chai Spiced Honey instead of Golden Syrup with a double layer of depth, spice & flavour. Cut these up in shapes, with a wee hole on the top to run a string through if you want to use these as decorations. A fun-filled activity do with your little (and not so little) people! 🙂

100g salted butter
3 tbsp Masala Chai Spiced Honey
100g soft brown sugar
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
225g plain flour
50g icing sugar

In a heavy bottomed pan, warm the butter, honey and sugar till well combined.
Add the baking soda and spices and mix well.
Put the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour the buttery, spicy goodness and stir to combine.
Use your hands to form a dough.*
– Cover and leave to chill in the fridge for at least half an hour before you roll out to cut into shapes (I find it easiest to roll and cut if the dough is pre-chilled. Roll between sheets of baking paper to make it easier still.)
– Roll and cut with cookie cutters. (If you want round “dunking cookies”, form a log with the dough and then cut into even sized disks.)
– Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees.
– Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes till evenly golden.
– Cool thoroughly before storing into jars.
These also make for cute Christmas decorations, when strung!

*If you find the dough too stiff, add a couple of tablespoons of hot milk while kneading the dough.

The post ‘Tis the Season – Gingerbread Cookies appeared first on Mixed Roots.

GF Waffles

Kalpana Laitflang — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 23:01:30 +0000

Almond Meal 1 cup
Cornflour 1/4 cup
GF Self raising flour 1/4 cup
Baking Powder 1/2 tsp
Cream of Tartar 1/4 tsp
Vinegar 1 tsp
Castor sugar 2 tbsp (optional)
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Neutral Oil 1/4 cup
Egg 1 large
Milk 1/4 – 1/2 cup

Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and fluff with a fork.
Add the wet ingredients, starting with 1/4 cup of milk.
Using an electric beater (if you have one), mix till well incorporated.
If you think it’s too stodgy, add more milk and beat till smooth.
Leave aside till your waffle irons are hot.
Ladle one generous dollop at a time and cook till you achieve the desired crispness.

You should get about 10 waffles.

Once cooked, leave to cook on a wire rack.
Re-heat in a toaster before eating.

Perfect with whipped cream, maple syrup and in ode to this season – our deliciously decadent Yuletide Spiced Honey!

These store really well and freeze even better.
The combination of the almond meal and the cornflour give these a perfectly crispy texture (my non gf husband prefers these to the “regular” waffles!)

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Caramelised Coconut “Fudge”

Kalpana Laitflang — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 03:14:32 +0000

We are a family of dessert lovers and I often find myself scrounging through our pantry cupboards later afternoon for a wee pick-me-up! Here is a little treat that I sometimes whip up. This caramelised coconut burfee – “fudge” is traditionally made during the festive season, but everyday is worth celebrating in these days that we live in!

COCONUT BURFEE
(Coconut fudge)

Fine desiccated coconut 2 cups
Condensed milk* 1 can
Ghee / Butter 2 tbsps
Cardamom seeds – from 4 pods

– Crush the seeds of the cardamom pods into a powder (or just 1/4 tsp of cardamom powder!)
– In a heavy bottomed frying pan, melt the butter / ghee on a medium heat.
– Add the coconut and and the cardamom powder and mix well. Toast the coconut till lightly golden.
– Add the condensed milk and mix well.
– Pour into a greased baking sheet and flatten with a spatula.
– Let sit till hardened – a couple of hours or so.
– Cut into squares (or whatever catches your fancy, really!)
– Keeps well in an air-tight container in a fridge for a couple of weeks.

*Sometimes, I use the caramelised condensed milk and we love the richness of flavour!!
If you don’t have any cardamom, just add any spice, or have it plain – it’s just as delicious.

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Flourless, Dark Chocolate, Almond Cake

Kalpana Laitflang — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 02:38:49 +0000

Twenty six years ago, I remember trying to source out a block of butter in the black markets of Kolkatta, India (yes, there is such a thing!) to make a cake for a special man who had then turned 19. Last week, with plenty of butter, cream and all sorts of richness on hand, I made yet another cake for him… That’s a lot of birthdays and even more cake these years gone by….This cake is ridiculously rich and finger licking good. It’s also really, really easy! I used Whittakers 62% Dark Cacao chocolate – dark and rich, but not overtly bitter (and thus keeping the minor aged population of the household happy!).
I used this recipe from Emiko and the only thing I did differently was adding the orange zest, and topping with the ganache. Will definitely be making it again! (I also loved her simple instructions and options on increasing the size of the cake!)

FLOURLESS DARK CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE w/ “JAFFA” GANACHE

THE CAKE
*Almond Meal 125 gms
Butter 125 gms
(softened)
Dark Chocolate 125 gms
Caster Sugar 125 gms
Eggs 3 large
(at room temperature – yolks & whites separated)
Zest of 1 large orange
(I used a Navel orange)

*If you’re using whole almonds, pulverise them in a blender or food processor till fine.
Line and prepare an 8” cake tin – preferably a spring form pan so you can snap the sides off to get the cake out easily.
Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees.

– Break the chocolate into chunks and melt in a bain marie or a double boiler. (Easy enough to use a glass or metal bowl in a sauce pan of boiling water. Just make sure you don’t get any water into the chocolate.)
– Keep the melted chocolate aside and allow to cool slightly.
– Whip the egg whites till stiff and keep aside.
– Using an electric beater, cream the butter, sugar till fluffy.
– Incorporate the melted chocolate and mix well.
– Put the yolks and mix again.
– Add in the almond meal and orange zest.
– When everything looks well mixed, add the stiffened egg whites and fold into the mixture, trying to keep as much of the air in the eggs as possible.
– Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for about 45 minutes (or till the cake feels springy to the touch, and a skewer comes out clean.)

Leave to cool thoroughly before topping with the the ganache.

(Or just sprinkle some icing sugar and serve with whipped cream or custard.)

THE JAFFA GANACHE

Dark Chocolate 125 gms
Cream 125 mls
Zest of 1 large orange
Cointreau (optional) 1 couple of tbsps – or more!

– Chop the chocolate into small pieces (I find it handy to use a sharp, heavy knife and tackle the chocolate edge by edge till I get a bowl full of chocolate “filings”)
On a low to medium heat, in a heavy bottomed pan, slowly bring the cream & orange zest to a rolling boil.
Pour the hot cream over the shredded chocolate.
Using a whisk, mix the cream and the chocolate till glossy and smooth.
Add the cointreau (if using)

Let sit for a a few minutes till slightly cool and pour over the cake.
I then let it sit to set in the fridge overnight.

We served this with thick, creamy custard. It was just what was needed as an accompaniment.

MY 2 CENTS’ WORTH
Use a spring form pan with a loose base. It will make your life SO much easier if you can just pop the sides and slip the cake off.
(I forgot – yes, I know… and was grateful that I have OCD’s about how I prep my pans before baking. Made all the difference when I had to use a heated icing spatula, gingerly edge the cake and then tip it out – trying to get it out of the pan without any finger prints!)
This cake was SO rich, it lasted our family of five for 5 whole days!!! (And that is saying something about our family of sweet tooths!)

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