Tag Archives: Dessert

Cassava meal kesari (pudding)

We had friends over for dinner last night and felt a bit creative with our dessert offering.   We have used “gari” or “cassava meal” previously in a savoury recipe as a substitute for “rava” or “fine semolina” and decided to try using it as the base for our gluten free  kesari alternative.   The cassava meal does have a bit or sourness to it which works fine in savoury dishes but not completely off putting in desserts (feel free to increase the amount of sugar to suit your taste).

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What do I need to make it?

  • 1 1/2 cups of cassava meal (gari)
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom seeds
  • Pinch of safron
  • Handful of almond and cashew nuts chopped
  • Handful of raisins
  • 6 tbsp ghee (2 to roast the nuts and raisins and the remainder to go into the kesari)

How much will I make?

Serves 4

How do I make it?

Roast the cassava meal over a medium heat till it starts to brown. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and roast the almonds, cashew nuts and raisins till the cashew nut begins to brown – keep aside once done.  Then heat 1 1/2 cups of water in a wok – dissolve the sugar and continue boiling for a few minutes before adding the saffron and cardamom seeds.    Reduce the heat to medium and  pour in the roasted cassava meal and whisk vigorously to ensure no lumps are formed.  Add four tablespoons of ghee to the mixture and keep stirring till the kesari leaves the sides of the wok.   Switch of the heat and garnish the dish with the roasted nuts and raisins – mix thoroughly and serve the kesari warm.

 

Related content:

Gluten free upma (annaandshiv.com)

Coffee flavoured chestnut flour pancakes

Having discovered the versatility of chestnut flour as an adequate replacement for normal flour in our baking endeavoors we have been making pancakes regularly with it.  We decided yesterday to try something different and incorporate some bold coffee flavours into the batter and are pleasantly surprised with the outcome.   We think this could work brilliantly as a dessert option with scoops of vanilla or coffee ice cream or a syrup made with Kaluha.  The pancakes have also given us an idea for a  tiramusu alternative – more once we have tried it.

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What do I need to make it?

  • 2 cups chestnut flour
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp  sugar (adjust to taste)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 shot of espresso
  • 2-3 tbsp Kaluha (add more for a boozy dessert pancake)
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • Butter to grease the pan
  • Pinch of salt

How much will I make?

8 medium sized pancakes depending on size

How do I make it?

Beat the egg and milk in a bowl and then add the chestnut flour and baking powder.  Use a whisk to beat further to ensure no lumps.   Add the remaining ingredients, whisk further and batter should coat your ladle.   Heat frying pan on medium heat and add a knob of butter some batter and cook on both sides,   Serve hot as a breakfast pancake or as a dessert with a scoop of coffee/vanilla ice cream.

Passion fruit with marscapone cheese

WARNING – not for the health/diet conscious or faint hearted – this dessert is simple and can become addictive.

My culinary forte has been mainly in the savoury domain and I have dabbled a little in the dessert making arena.  Off late between the two of us, Anna has taken a greater interest in making desserts – she is into baking and has pulled out some tasty treats with some stunning gluten free recipes.   One dessert I am fond of which came about through a stroke of luck and is simple to make is a rich passion fruit with marscapone cheese and honey concotion served on a bed of crushed meringue.  Think of it as an Eton mess with passion fruit – not exactly a visual treat but irresistibly tasty.

Growing up in Zambia we had a passion fruit vine in our back garden and back then I thought of it as a sour fruit with little value.   Boy was I wrong – if I knew then what I know now I would have experimented a bit more with this fruit and desserts in general.

Passion fruit and marscapone cheese

What do I need to make it?

  • 4 passion fruit – cut and scooped out
  • 250 gm marscapone cheese
  • 2 -3 tbsp Greek honey
  • 4 meringue nests

How much will I make?

Serves 4

How do I make it?

Whisk the marscapone cheese in a bowl.  It takes a bit of effort as the mixture can seem a bit stiff and will loosen up when the other ingredients are added.   Add the passion fruit and honey and whisk further till you get a nice smooth mixture.   Check the mixture for sweetness and add some more honey if needed.  Crumble a meringue nest in each bowl and add a dollop of the mixture and enjoy.