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Diwali, frequently referred to as the celebration of illumination, is a celebration of light over darkness. This is the most extensively celebrated Indian festival and has a similar vibe to holiday festivities abroad. Diwali is characterized by sparklers and fireworks, brilliant shades, continuous festivities and countertops straining under the substantial bulk of food and desserts. No Diwali is complete without boxes of sweets and preserved fruits exchanged between friends and family. Throughout Britain, we keep those traditions alive, wearing traditional clothes, going to places of worship, reading Indian mythology to the children and, crucially, assembling with pals from all walks of life and faiths. In my view, Diwali is about community and offering dishes that feels special, but doesn’t keep you in the cooking area for extended periods. The bread pudding is my interpretation of the indulgent shahi tukda, while the ladoos are excellent for giving or to relish with a hot tea after the banquet.

Easy Ladoos (Pictured Top)

Ladoos are some of the most recognizable Indian desserts, comparable to gulab jamuns and jalebis. Envision a classic Indian halwai’s shop bursting with confectioneries of all forms, hue and dimension, all professionally prepared and generously laden with clarified butter. These sweets frequently occupy the spotlight, establishing them as a top selection of offering for propitious moments or for giving to gods and goddesses at religious sites. This particular recipe is among the easiest, calling for a small set of items, and can be prepared in minutes.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes along with cooling
Makes approximately 15-20

110g ghee
250g gram flour
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder
1 pinch saffron (as an option)
50g mixed almonds and pistachios, roasted and coarsely chopped
180-200g granulated sugar, as per liking

Liquefy the clarified butter in a nonstick pan on a medium heat. Lower the flame, add the gram flour and simmer, with constant mixing to combine it with the heated clarified butter and to prevent it from sticking or burning. Keep cooking and stirring for half an hour to 35 minutes. To begin with, the mix will resemble moist granules, but as you keep cooking and stirring, it will transform into a peanut butter-like texture and smell wonderfully nutty. Don’t try to rush things, or leave the mix unattended, because it might burn rapidly, and the gentle heating is critical for the typical, roasted flavor of the confectioneries.

Remove the pan from the stove, blend the cardamom and saffron, if included, then allow to cool until moderately warm on contact.

Incorporate the nuts and sugar to the room temperature ladoo mix, combine well, then pull apart little portions and shape with your hands into 15 to 20 balls of 4cm. Place these on a dish separated a bit and allow to cool to normal temperature.

You can now serve the sweets promptly, or keep them in a sealed container and store in a cool place for as long as one week.

Classic Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by Hyderabad’s shahi tukda, a recipe that is usually prepared by frying bread in ghee, then immersing it in a dense, creamy rabdi, which is made by boiling full-fat milk for hours until it reduces to a reduced quantity from the start. The recipe here is a more nutritious, simpler and faster option that requires a lot less tending to and enables the oven to take over the task.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 60 minutes plus
Serves 4 to 6

A dozen slices stale white bread, crusts cut off
100g ghee, or liquid butter
1 liter of whole milk
One 397-gram can sweetened condensed milk
150g sugar, or as preferred
a pinch of saffron, immersed in 2 tablespoons of milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom, or the contents of 2 pods, ground
¼ tsp ground nutmeg (as an option)
40 grams of almonds, broken into pieces
40g raisins

Cut the bread into triangles, coat nearly all but a spoonful of the ghee over both sides of each portion, then place the triangles as they fall in a greased, approximately 20cm by 30cm, oblong baking pan.

Using a big bowl, whisk the milk, condensed milk and sugar until the sweetener incorporates, then mix in the saffron and the milk it was soaked in, the cardamom and nutmeg, if included. Transfer the milk blend evenly over the bread in the pan, so it all gets soaked, then leave to steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius (180 fan)/390 Fahrenheit/gas 6.

Heat the pudding for 30 to 35 minutes, until the surface is golden brown and a pick stuck into the center emerges clean.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining ghee in a little pot over medium heat, then cook the almonds until lightly browned. Extinguish the flame, incorporate the raisins and leave them to cook in the leftover temperature, blending steadily, for a minute. Scatter the nut and raisin combination over the pudding and serve warm or chilled, just as it is or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.