Chef Nishant Choubey’s besan halwa mousse with US cranberries brings the joy of Diwali in every bite

Besan halwa mousse with US cranberries is my take on the dessert which carries the essence of my childhood — the time when the aroma of roasted besan meant celebration.

As a chef, I wanted to preserve that emotion while giving it a modern form. The maple syrup symbolises my global journey — bridging local memories with world influences. The filo crisp reflects texture, contrast, and the beauty of transformation — just like my culinary path. Each rose petal reminds me of the festive trays that my late mother prepared, with love as the main ingredient.

The cranberries are a nod to the evolution of Indian sweets — timeless yet progressive. For me, this is not just a dish — it’s a return to my roots.

Besan halwa mousse with US cranberries  

Ingredients

Besan (gram flour)                                          100 gm

Ghee                                                                    60 gm

Caster sugar                                                       80-100 gm

Filo sheets (or 4 sheets folded)                      8

Turmeric powder                                              1/2 tsp

Maple syrup/wild honey                                 To finish

Ground cinnamon                                            To finish

Extra melted ghee or butter                            For brushing filo

US cranberries                                                    250 gm

Mascarpone cheese (or whipped cream)      100 gm

Method

Prepare besan halwa: Heat ghee in pan. Add besan. Roast on medium-low, stirring, until nutty and golden (6-8 minutes). Add sugar. Finish with turmeric powder to spice it up and cook a bit so that the rawness of the turmeric goes off. Let it cool.

Making the mousse: Blend halwa to mascarpone cream and fold to mousse. For this, fold 2/3 of whipped mascarpone into cooled halwa gently to keep air. You now have the mousse.

Crisp filo: You can deep-fry these in hot oil. If you prefer roasting, brush filo sheets with melted ghee, stack/fold into rounds or tartlet shapes. To bake, pre-heat oven to 180°C. Bake on a tray for 8-10 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Cool on rack.

Assemble: Spoon or pipe mousse into filo cups/shells. Chill for 10-15 minutes to firm.

Finish: Drizzle maple syrup/wild honey over mousse, dust with cinnamon, and add a small dollop of reserved mascarpone or whipped cream, if desired. For a phenomenal tang, add some cranberries in the end.

— Author of 'Stay with Indus', Chef Nishant Choubey is Consulting Chef for Michelin Plated Indus (Bangkok) and Corporate Chef of Seinan Group (Tokyo). He also won Independent Chef of the Year Award for 2024