Deepawali Sweets - Mundiri Paruppu Nokkal - Sugar Coated Cashew

Deepawali Sweets - Mundiri Paruppu Nokkal - Sugar Coated Cashew

This can not be termed as a wholesome sweet in itself, however Nokkal has its place among the delicacies prepared this season. Put a bowl of Nokkal on the table, and watch it disappear in no time – albeit one by one! Passers by will be tempted and polish it up in no time! Nokkal is nothing but sugar coated or candied cashew nuts which prompt any one to binge. Usually it is stuffed in a cone to make “Paruppu Tengai” which is a must in South Indian weddings.
INGREDIENTS:
Whole cashew nuts – 1 cup
Sugar – 1 cup or the same volume as the nuts.
2 tbsps of ghee or oil to roast the nuts

METHOD:
1. Heat ghee / oil in a pan and roast the cashew nuts to an even golden colour and drain.
2. Dissolve sugar in one cup of water and boil.
4. Add a tsp of milk. This will separate out any scum or impurities along the sides of the pan. This should be scooped with a spoon and discarded.
5. Let the sugar syrup reach one thread consistency.
6. Lower the heat and add the roasted cashew nuts to the syrup.
7. Coat the nuts well with the syrup and spread them on a plate.
8. The nuts will start disappearing from the moment they are roasted! If you are still left with some candied nuts store them in air tight containers when cooled.

Deepawali Sweets - Rawa (Semolina) Halwa

Deepawali Sweets - Rawa (Semolina) Halwa

We may buy or prepare multitudes of sweets for the Deepavali festival. But the festivity is incomplete without a halwa. There are various basic ingredients used in the preparation of halwa, and this time I have used Rawa (semolina) for the same.

INGREDIENTS:
Fine Rawa (Semolina) – 1 cup
Sugar – 2 cups
Ghee – ¼ cup
Edible Saffron colour – ¼ tsp
Cardamom – 2 OR Any essence of your choice – 3 drops
Cashew nuts & Raisins – a few

METHOD:
1. Soak rawa in 1 ½ cups of water for at least 15 minutes.

2. Now knead the with your hand or beat with a whisk till it becomes milky.
2. Boil the sugar with 2 cups of water till it reaches one thread consistency (also called soft ball stage) .
3. Mix in the food colour and blend well.
4. Add the milky rawa and keep stirring.
5. When holes start appearing on the surface and the halwa starts leaving the sides of the pan, blend in the ghee.
6. Mix in the cardamom powder or essence and pour it on a greased tray.
7. Garnish with roasted cashew nuts and raisins.

Scoop out the halwa in cups and relish while warm. Or store the plate in the refrigerator and cut the halwa into pieces when required.

Dome Cake

Do you have any leftover sponge cake? Or, unsuccessful baked sponge cake? Give it a twist to a little treat for your guests. I don't have any leftover sponge cake so I purposely bake a plain and chocolate sponge cake to experiment the recipe. I didn't follow exactly from the recipe book but using my little baking knowledge to complete this dessert.

The texture turn out quite nice with the combination of sponge cake, custard, toasted almond, chopped dark chocolate and covered with melted chocolate for the coating. Then, let it stand nicely on top of a piece of cinnamon cookies. I didn't manage to make it as pretty as the picture from the book. I think I need more practice and patient for coating the cakes. Anyway, this is something special and definitely will make it for a party.
Recipe makes 10 pieces:

180g plain sponge cake
180g chocolate sponge cake
115g homemade custard
115g chopped dark chocolate
40g toasted almond nibbed
50g raisin soaked with brandy or rum
150g melted dark chocolate for coating

For the cinnamon cookies:
40g butter
36g caster sugar
12g eggs
76g plain flour
4g cinnamon powder

Methods:

1. For the cinnamon cookies, beat the caster sugar with butter then add in eggs. Fold in flour and cinnamon powder until a soft dough. Cling wrap the dough and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough about 5mm and use a 6cm round cutter to cut out 10 pieces.
3. Place on a baking tray with baking paper attached and bake in the 180C preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
4. Let is sit on the tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool down.
5. For the cake dome, use hand to break the sponge till a bread crumbs consistency.
6. Combine the custard, chopped chocolate, almond nibbed and raisin with the remaining brandy or rum.
7. Lightly press the mixture together to make the shape. Pour some melted dark chocolate to coat the cake.
8. Place it on a piece of cinnamon cookie and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.