Sweet transformations

Pushpesh Pant

This is one of the most satisfying ‘inventions’ we have stumbled upon. But let’s begin at the beginning. All our friends and their better or worse halves know well of our weakness foe sweets. No meal is complete until the sweet tooth is tickled good and proper. We were sharing potluck when the hostess, to her horror, discovered that there was no dessert! Not one to admit defeat she rolled up her sleeves and treated us with what she called a ‘sweet of 4 delights’- translated in Hindustani as mithai ek maze chaar. We have never come across a left-over doughnut undergoing the Cinderella transformation so dramatically. What set us thinking is that how you can create an original dessert — not only with leftovers and jam but using doughnut as a base and enriching it with freshly prepared-small portions of sweet nothings to dazzle guests. Great aye appeal without much effort can be blended with degrees of varying sweetness and ingredients healthy, exotic or both. A fusion of Indian mithai and Western dessert can be attempted — and this is just the beginning! A word of caution is necessary. Resist the temptation to treat the ‘nut’ as a convenient receptacle to recycle whatever is at hand. Gulabjamun, rasmalai and jalebi don’t go with it at all. Jury is still out on mildly sweet gajar ka halva and rabari. What about crumbled kesari motichoor ka laddoo as a bed? Your call!

Ek Mithai Chaar Maze

Ingredients:

Doughnuts (Bought off the shelf but ensure these are fresh) 4-6

Mishti doi/srikhand/fruit yogurt/cream 200 ml

Red grapes/seedless apricots/peach halves 6-large

Grated coconut 3 tbsp

Fruit compote/jelly/fresh fruit sliced imaginatively 3-4 tbsp

Method:

Place the doughnut on a plate. Fill the hollow with mishti doi/srikhand/fruit yogurt/cream. Arrange gently on the top half a portion of fruit compote/jelly/fresh fruit. Place halved grape or any other fresh fruit on the bottom half. Sprinkle over generously with grated coconut. Nothing stops you from crowning this with a generous dollop of whipped or clotted cream.