Elegant Desserts For Perfect Indulgence!

Vanilla Ice-cream, divine & delicious:

This is an old fashioned recipe which I have tried many times successfully. This is custard based & relatively lighter , using less cream.

Full fat milk - 500 ml
Fresh cream - 1 cup(100gms)
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cornflour - 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Dissolve the cornflour in 2 tbsp milk & keep aside. Boil the remainng milk , add sugar & cornflour mixture , stirring well , simmer for 4-5 mins. Cool thoroughly - add cream & vanilla essence & mix well.
Now the following points have to be taken care of to get a smooth texture.
(1)Pour into a shallow aluminium container & cover with plastic film . Cover & freeze till just set (semi-set).
(2) Now divide the mixture into 2 parts & churn each batch separately in a blender till very smooth- this is very important
(3)Return to the shallow container to set again.
(4)Once it is well set introduce a coin between the tray & the container to prevent it from becoming hard.
The depth should not exceed 1 –11/2” .
If you follow the instructions correctly , ice crystals will not be formed. The mixture has to be thick when going into the freezer. Too much of sugar will prevent it from freezing. If you add some milk powder to the milk , it adds a nice creamy texture to the ice cream.

Caramel Payasam

If you make it once , it is bound to become an all – time favourite in the house !

The flavour is unbelievably good !



Milk - 1 litre ( preferably full fat )

Thin variety of rice(basmati or jeeraga samba) - ¼ cup heaped

Sugar - I cup



Soak the rice for 15 mins.

It is preferable to do this in a pressure cooker or a big pressure pan to prevent

overflowing of milk.

Heat the cooker very well on a high flame till it gets really hot.

Add 1 tbsp of sugar.
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Do not stir.

It will start caramelizing.
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When it becomes dark brown add ½ cup of hot water (beware, it will splash!) .

Then add the milk, & washed and strained rice & mix well.
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When the milk starts boiling well close the cooker and put the weight.

At once , put the flame on sim and pressurise for 25 mtes. Do not wait for a whistle - the milk is likely to overflow.

Allow the pressure to drop.
Open & add the sugar &mix well.

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Close again & put the weight.

Do not put on the flame again.

Open after atleast 15 mtes.

The payasam will be pale pink in colour with a very nice aroma.
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For the "ready-to-serve" payasam, please go to
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Kamal Kheer

Basundhi - 500 ml ( you can buy readymade from mithai shops)

Cold milk - 100 ml

Orange juice - from 4 medium sized sweet oranges

Orange fruit or petals - from 4 medium sized sweet oranges

Powdered sugar - ½ cup



Mix cold basundhi , cold milk , orange juice & powdered sugar very well.

Serve chilled in individual bowls decorated with the fruit petals spread on top.

Gram dhal Payasam :



Gram dhal - ½ cup

Jaggery - 1 cup

Coconut milk ( thin ) - 1 ½ cups

Coconut milk - (thick ) - 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Cashew chopped - 2 tbsp

Raisins - 2 tbsp



Wash & soak dhal in water for 1 hour.

Pressurise with 1 cup of water for 2 whistles.

Cool , open & drain the water.

Don’t bother if there is no water to drain.

In another vessel take 1/3 cup of water ( or the drained water ) , add jaggery ,heat on a low flame to dissolve jaggery completely .

Strain to remove impurities in jaggery & keep ready.

To the dhal add jaggery water , thin coconut milk & boil for 5 mts.

If you like the dhal soft , either cook for 3 whistles at the beginning or lightly mash part of the dhal.

When the mixture has boiled well, simmer the stove , add thick coconut milk & cardamom powder , mix thoroughly & remove from fire.

Do not allow boiling after adding the thick milk , because curdling may occur.

Stir for some time till the thick milk blends well .

In a small kadai , heat 2 tsp ghee , fry the cashews & raisins & add to the payasam.

I f you are planning to make for many people it is better to add sago in the following way to give thickness to the payasam.

For 1 cup of dhal , fry 2 tbsp sago in 2 tsp ghee , add & pressurise with the dhal.

This payasam is called “Paruppu Pradhaman”in Kerala.

Pineapple Payasam- Exotic Taste, reminding you of Pina Colada!

Pineapple pieces - 3 cups ( very finely chopped )

Sugar - 1 ¼ cups ( if the fruit is sweet )

Coconut milk - 2 no:s 200ml cartons

(You can substitute 2 cups medium fresh coconut milk+1 cup thick milk )

Sago - 1 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cashew chopped - 2 tbsp

Raisins - 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp

In a pressurepan,heat 2 tbsp ghee, roast cashew pieces & raisins , remove, add sago & fry till they all puff up uniformly.

Add pineapple pieces & ½ cup water.

Close the cooker & keep the weight.

After the 1^st whistle comes, simmer the stove & cook for 5 mts.

Cool, open & lightly mash for a uniform mixture.

Add sugar , dissolve on a low heat, stirring well.

Now add the second milk or 1 carton coconut milk mixed with 1 carton of water.

Cook, stirring on medium fire.

Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder & first milk or one carton coconut milk & switch off the flame immediately.

Mix very well adding roasted cashews & raisins.

Eggless Vanilla and Chocolate Gateau:

Maida 1 ½ cups

Sodabicarb 1 tsp

Cocoa powder 3 tbsp

Salt ¼ tsp

Powdered sugar 1 cup

Milk 1 cup

Any odourless oil 5 tbsp

White vinegar 1 tbsp

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Sieve first five ingredients together.

To this, add sugar, milk, oil, vinegar & vanilla essence.

Beat well to blend all ingredients thoroughly.

Bake in a greased & floured round tin at 350-375 degrees F till done.

The syrup to soak the cake:

Powdered sugar - 2 tbsp

Water - 4 tbsp

To soak in the above syrup:

Raisins - 2 tbsp

Filling with raisins:

Chopped nuts - 2 tbsp

To assemble:

!/2 litre of vanilla ice cream ( as given in this thread )

Fresh Cream - 200gms

Powdered sugar - 3 tbsp

For decoration:

Few cherries.

When the raisins are well soaked, remove & mix with nuts.

Keep the above mixture & syrup separately.

Divide the cake into 3 slices horizontally.

Sprinkle the syrup equally on all the three slices.

Beat cream & powdered sugar & keep ready.

In a serving dish put one slice, soaked in syrup, carefully.

On top of this spread half the ice cream & sprinkle half of the nut-raisin mixture over this.

Put a second slice on top & repeat the above procedure.

Now put the third slice on top.

Completely cover this with sweetened cream & decorate elegantly with cherries.

Chill for 3-4 hrs & serve.
You are sure to win appreciation!

Since I have given Gram dhal payasam with jaggery & coconut milk , I am giving this with sugar & plain milk. They can be interchanged.

Wheat rava - ½ cup

Moong dhal - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 1 cup (more or less is optional )

Milk - 2-21/2 cups

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Cashew broken - 2 tbsp

Raisins - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Roast the dhal till the colour changes lightly.

Soak in water for 1 hr.

In a pressure pan, heat I tbsp ghee, add rava & roast till an aroma comes.

Add 1 1/2 cups water , drained moong dhal, close the cooker & cook for 3 whistles.

Cool, open & mix well, to break the dhal , to blend.

Add milk & boil for 10 mts on a medium flame.

Add sugar & cardamom powder, immediately lower the flame .

Mix to dissolve the sugar completely - do not boil.

Remove & stir well for a few mts.

Fry the cashews & raisins in ghee & add.

Depending on the desired consistency, dhal can be omitted also.

The same payasam if made with jaggery & coconut milk ( as is given for gram dhal payasam ) becomes “ gothuma prathaman “ of Kerala.

Instead of moong dhal 1 tbsp sago can be roasted in ghee & added along with wheat rava, to be cooked.

Both sago & moong dhal are added only to make the payasam little thick – there is nothing wrong if you omit them.

The same payasam can be prepared with samba meals rava which has bigger grains. In that case pressure cook for 4 whistles.

Makhana is dried lotus seeds, looks like a puffed white light ball, the size of marble & is available in North Indian grocery section.

Milk - 1 litre

Makhana - 1 cup

Sugar - ½ - ¾ cup

Ghee - 2 tsp

Chopped, assorted nuts - ¼ cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Saffron colour - 1-2 drops

Icecream essence - few drops

It is preferable to use full cream milk to get a rich kheer.

Fry the makhanas lightly in 1 tsp ghee & powder.

Boil milk, reduce it to half the volume, stirring regularly.

Add sugar , stir till it dissolves.

Now add the makhana powder & blend well.

Simmer for a few mts, add cardamom powder, saffron colour & remove.

Fry the nuts in 1 tsp ghee & add along with icecream essence.

If you prefer, nuts can be added raw without frying.

Chopped dates can be added for a variation.

Serve hot or cold.

Milk 1 litre (preferably full cream)

Basmati rice ½ cup minus 2 tsp

Sugar 1 cup

Apples 3

Cardamom pdr 1 tsp

Nutmeg pdr 1 tsp

Saffron ¼ tsp(warm & powder)

Chopped almonds 1 tbsp

Chopped pistachios 1 tbsp

Wash & soak the rice for I hour.

Keep 1 cup of milk cold & boil the rest.

Drain the rice & grind it very fine using the cold milk little by little.

Mix the rest of the cold milk to the paste.

When the milk starts boiling, add the rice-milk paste in a stream with one hand, stirring continuously with the other.

The stirring has to be done very well & thoroughly to prevent lump formation.

Now reduce the stove & cook on very low heat ,stirring continuously, for atleast 10 mts.

If possible keep a pan on the stove & below the cooking vessel to prevent scorching because the mixture is quite thick.

When the mixture is well cooked add the sugar & stir in a low fire to dissolve it.

Now add spices & remove.

Peel & grate 2 apples & add when the mixture has cooled well.

Refrigerate & serve cold.

More or less sugar is optional.

This dish is best set in a mud pot & decorated with thin apple slices ( preferably in 2 colours) & assorted nuts "casually sprinkled".

Moong dhal - ½ cup

Jaggery powdered - 1 cup (can be little less)

Milk - 1-1 1/2 cups

Cardamom powder - ½ tsp

Nutmeg powder - ½ tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Cashews & raisins - 1 tbsp each

Lightly roast moong dhal till an aroma comes & soak in boiling water for minimum 30 mts.

Wash well & cook in 1 ½ cups of water in a pressurepan for 2 whistles.
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Simulaneously add 1/2 cup of water to jaggery & heat to dissolve completely.

Strain & add to the boiled dhal in the cooker, when you cool & open it.

Boil for 5 mtes.
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Add spices & remove from the stove.

Add milk (already boiled) to this & mixture & stir well for a few mts. The consistency is your choice. In the photo, note that the stove is switched off.
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Heat ghee in a small pan, roast nuts & raisins well & add.
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Refer to Tips on Payasam.