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Diwali, often called the celebration of illumination, marks the triumph of positivity over negativity. This is the most widely marked celebration across India and feels a bit like holiday festivities abroad. Diwali is characterized by pyrotechnic displays, vibrant hues, continuous festivities and tables creaking under the immense load of food and desserts. Every Diwali celebration is finished without containers of mithai and dehydrated fruits passed around friends and family. Throughout Britain, the practices are preserved, wearing traditional clothes, going to places of worship, sharing tales from Indian lore to the kids and, most importantly, assembling with pals from diverse cultures and beliefs. In my view, the festival centers on unity and distributing meals that feels special, but doesn’t require you in the cooking area for extended periods. This bread-based dessert is my interpretation of the indulgent shahi tukda, while the ladoos are ideal for presenting or to relish with a hot tea after the feast.

Effortless Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are some of the most iconic Indian sweets, alongside gulab jamuns and jalebis. Imagine a traditional Indian halwai’s shop bursting with sweets of every shape, tint and measurement, all professionally prepared and generously laden with ghee. Ladoos commonly hold centre stage, making them a popular choice of offering for propitious moments or for offering to Hindu deities at places of worship. This version 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 15-20

110g ghee
9 ounces of chickpea flour
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder
1 pinch saffron (if desired)
2 ounces of assorted nuts, heated and broken into pieces
180 to 200 grams of granulated sugar, to taste

Liquefy the clarified butter in a non-stick skillet on a medium heat. Reduce the temperature, incorporate the gram flour and heat, while stirring continuously to integrate it into the melted ghee and to ensure it doesn’t stick or scorch. Continue heating and mixing for 30-35 minutes. At the start, the mix will resemble wet sand, but with further heating and blending, it will turn to a peanut butter consistency and smell wonderfully nutty. Do not attempt to speed it up, or leave the mix unattended, because it might burn rapidly, and the gentle heating is critical for the distinctive, nutty taste of the ladoos.

Remove the pan from the stove, stir in the cardamom and saffron, if using, then set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Add the nuts and sugar to the room temperature ladoo mix, stir completely, then tear off small chunks and form using your palms into 15-20 x 4cm balls. Put these on a plate with some distance between them and let them cool to room temperature.

You can now serve the ladoos immediately, or keep them in a sealed container and store in a cool place for up to a week.

Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by Hyderabadi 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 rich milk for a long time until it thickens to a fraction of its original volume. The recipe here is a better-for-you, straightforward and speedy version that needs much less attention and enables the oven to take over the task.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hour or more
Serves about 4-6 people

A dozen slices stale white bread, edges trimmed
3.5 ounces of clarified butter, or melted butter
4 cups of full-fat milk
A 397-gram tin condensed milk
5 ounces of sugar, or to taste
a pinch of saffron, immersed in 2 tablespoons of milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom, or the seeds from 2 pods, crushed
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (as an option)
40 grams of almonds, broken into pieces
40 grams of raisins

Cut the bread into triangles, coat nearly all but a spoonful of the clarified butter on each side of every slice, then arrange the triangles as they land in an oiled, roughly 20cm x 30cm, rectangular ovenproof container.

Within a sizable container, mix the milk, condensed milk and sugar until the sweetener incorporates, then blend the saffron and the liquid it steeped in, the cardamom along with nutmeg, if added. Pour the milk mixture consistently across the bread in the dish, so each piece is saturated, then leave to steep for 10-15 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/gas mark 6.

Cook the pudding for 30 to 35 minutes, until the upper layer is browned and a pick stuck into the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, heat the leftover ghee in a little pot over medium heat, then sauté the almonds until golden brown. Turn off the heat, incorporate the raisins and leave them to cook in the residual heat, blending steadily, for a minute. Scatter the nut and raisin combination over the pudding and offer heated or cooled, just as it is or alongside a portion of vanilla ice-cream.