Diwali recipes: Tarts and Rasmalai

Chef Kunal Kapur shares two festive recipes that will leave you wanting for more.

The festival of lights is almost here.

Ready for the sweets race? 

Here are the recipes:

Spiced Anjeer and Honey Tart

Ingredients

For tart

• 150 gm maida
• 75 gm butter
• 50 gm sugar

For filling

• 2 cups anjeer (dried figs)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds powder
• 250 ml cream
• 2 eggs yolks
• 2 tbsp honey

Method

For tart

• Mix maida, butter and sugar together until it attains a sandy texture.
• Sprinkle just enough water to make into a dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Take the dough out, pat some dry maida and roll out thin (approx 3 mm).
• Place the dough over tart moulds and press gently to cover the mould. Trim the sides for a neat shape.
• Prick with a toothpick or a fork. Place these moulds in a pre-heated oven at a temp of 180 degree Celsius for five to eight minutes. This is to just flash cook it. Remove and allow to cool completely.

For filling

• Soak dried figs in hot water for half an hour.
• Once done, drain water completely and roughly chop the figs.
• Whisk cream, egg yolks, honey, cinnamon powder and fennel seeds powder together. Add chopped figs to it.
• Pour the mixture into the half-baked tarts and bake it at 180 degree Celsius for 15 minutes.
• Remove tarts from the oven and allow to cool completely. Serve.

Rasmalai with Irish Coffee Custard Sauce

Ingredients

• 8 pieces rasmalai
• 120 ml Irish coffee liquor (optional)
• 250 ml milk
• 250 ml cream
• 75 gm sugar
• 1 tbsp coffee powder
• 2 egg yolks

Method

• Drain the milk out of the rasmalai.
• Pour Irish coffee liquor over it.
• Separately mix cream and milk and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat. Add sugar coffee powder.
• Whisk egg yolks in a bowl.
• Add one fourth cup hot milk in it and whisk it again.
• Pour the eggs gradually into the rest of the simmering milk. Cook for two to three minutes and keep whisking. 
• As it thickens remove from heat. Strain.
• Cool the custard sauce. Refrigerate till the sauce is chilled.
• Pour over the rasmalai. Serve immediately.