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Diwali, frequently referred to as the festival of lights, marks the triumph of light over darkness. This is the most widely marked festival in India and has a similar vibe to the Western Christmas season. The occasion is linked to pyrotechnic displays, bright colours, endless parties and countertops straining under the sheer weight of dishes and sweet treats. Every Diwali celebration is complete without packages of confections and preserved fruits exchanged between kin and companions. In the UK, we keep those traditions alive, wearing traditional clothes, attending religious sites, sharing tales from Indian lore to the kids and, crucially, gathering with friends from every background and religion. Personally, the festival centers on community and offering dishes that feels special, but won’t leave you in the kitchen for hours. The pudding made from bread is my version of the indulgent shahi tukda, while these ladoos are excellent for giving or to relish with a hot tea after the banquet.

Easy Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are among the most iconic Indian sweets, right up there with gulab jamuns and jalebis. Envision a classic Indian halwai’s shop bursting with confectioneries of all forms, colour and size, all expertly crafted and generously laden with clarified butter. Ladoos commonly hold centre stage, rendering them a favored option of present for festive events or for offering to Hindu deities at places of worship. This particular recipe is one of the most straightforward, calling for a small set of items, and can be made in no time.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes plus chilling
Makes approximately 15-20

110 grams of ghee
250 grams of gram flour
¼ tsp ground green cardamom
a small amount of saffron (as an option)
50g mixed almonds and pistachios, heated and broken into pieces
180 to 200 grams of granulated sugar, to taste

Liquefy the clarified butter in a Teflon-coated pan on a medium heat. Lower the flame, add the gram flour and cook, stirring constantly to integrate it into the melted ghee and to prevent it from sticking or burning. Persist with cooking and blending for 30 to 35 minutes. Initially, the mixture will look like moist granules, but as you keep cooking and stirring, it will turn to a peanut butter consistency and give off a rich nutty scent. Do not attempt to speed it up, or neglect the mixture, because it might burn rapidly, and the slow roast is critical for the typical, roasted flavor of the sweet balls.

Remove the pan from the stove, mix in the cardamom and saffron, if included, then allow to cool until slightly warm when touched.

Add the nuts and sugar to the cooled ladoo mixture, stir completely, then break off small pieces and form using your palms into 15-20 x 4cm balls. Set these on a platter separated a bit and let them cool to normal temperature.

You can now serve the sweets promptly, or keep them in a sealed container and keep at room temperature for about seven days.

Traditional Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by Hyderabad’s shahi tukda, a dish that’s typically made by frying bread in ghee, then immersing it in a dense, creamy rabdi, which is created by simmering rich milk for a long time until it thickens to a small portion of its initial amount. The recipe here is a healthier, easier and quicker alternative that needs much less attention and allows the oven to handle the work.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr+
Serves 4 to 6

A dozen slices day-old white bread, crusts cut off
100g ghee, or liquid butter
1 litre whole milk
A 397-gram tin condensed milk
5 ounces of sugar, or according to taste
a small pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom, or the insides of 2 pods, powdered
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (optional)
40g almonds, roughly chopped
40 grams of raisins

Trim the bread into triangular shapes, apply almost all except a teaspoon of the ghee over both sides of every slice, then arrange the triangles as they land in an oiled, roughly 20cm x 30cm, rectangular ovenproof container.

In a large bowl, mix the milk, sweetened milk and sugar until the sugar melts, then stir in the saffron and the milk it was soaked in, the spices including cardamom and nutmeg, if added. Pour the milk mixture consistently across the bread in the dish, so everything is immersed, then leave to steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Set the oven temperature to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6.

Bake the pudding for half an hour or so, until the surface is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre exits without residue.

At the same time, heat the leftover ghee in a small pan on a medium heat, then fry the almonds until lightly browned. Extinguish the flame, mix in the raisins and allow them to heat in the residual heat, mixing continuously, for one minute. Sprinkle the nut and raisin mix over the sweet dish and serve warm or chilled, plain as it is or accompanied by vanilla ice-cream.