Diyas you can devour

...And such other sweet nothings are all the rage this Diwali. Ditch the old-fashioned eats for these, says Sonal Ved

Come Diwali and boxes of yellow cellophane paper covered kaji katlis and dry fruit crusted mithais start pouring in. While binging on these is supremely satisfying for the first few days, slowly the sight of these ghee-soaked mithais begins to turn you off. Since sweets and the festival of lights cannot be entirely separated, there are ways to enjoy the sugar rush without the milk, mawa and dry fruit overdose. Here are seven off-beat sweet treats you can pack off for your relatives.

What: Lonavala chikki and Guntur chilli chocolate
Where: The Bean Therapy

What is a better munchie than Lonavala's famed chikki? It's The Bean Therapy's chocolate, flavoured with the hill station's snack. The Chembur-based chocolate maker adds semi-crushed pieces of Lonavala's famed peanut chikki. The chocolate is smooth with nutty bites, popping in occasionally. The Bean Therapy also has Guntur chilli flavoured chocolate that is infused with chilli powder brought from Lalbaug's famed mirchi gully and a saffron kawa chocolate seeped in green tea extracts.

What: Chocolate coated potato chips
Where: Royce Chocolates

As if chocolate and potato chips were not addictive enough individually, the Japanese chocolate brand Royce has combined the two sinful ingredients to create what is internationally known as chippers. The chocolate-coated potato chips come packed in a regular looking wafer packet. Open it, and within minutes, you would've emptied half its contents. The wafers work because they aren't overtly sweet and have a salty aftertaste. The see-saw of flavours and lightness in terms of texture sets it apart from an average sweetmeat.
Contact: 022 42951234


What: Edible diyas and mousse injections
Where: Country Of Origin

This Diwali, don't just light your diyas, eat them too. The Napeansea Road-based bakery sells diyas that look like they are made of clay but are completely edible, right up to the wax and the wick. While the outer cover is made with milk or dark chocolate, it's interiors are filled with white chocolate to depict wax, the wick is made of glazed fruit jelly to make it look deceptively real. They also make chocolate injections that are filled with silken mousse to give you quick, sweet shot.
Contact: 022 2364 2221

What: Basil seed ice cream
Where: Bina Doshi ice creams
For those seeking respite from essence-laced ice cream, Bina Doshi's homemade tubs come handy. Ideal to serve guests during this festive spell, each flavour is real and stays put from any preservatives. She does whacky flavours, such as lemongrass (ideal dessert for an Asian-themed lunch), basil seeds or sabja (for extreme internal cooling), cranberry (using dried berries) and tab tim korb (a Thai-dessert inspired ice cream). She also has regular flavours, such as chocolate, vanilla and seasonal flavours but we insist you dare to be different.
Contact: 9930312999

What: Gold-crusted marzipan
Where: Nordic Kandie
Marzipans might be a thing to gorge on during Easter, but Nordic Kandie makes them available through the year. For Diwali, their gold and silver foil crusted marzipans are what gifting boxes should be made up of. Made using an Estonian family recipe, these ball-sized bites are coated with edible gold and silver films. The edible films are brought down from an Italian vendor, who works closely with the British, Hungarian and French Royal families.
Contact: 919699641112

What: Kaju-katli halwa truffle
Where: Chockriti

Delhi-resident Prakriti Sawhney's specialises in uniquely flavoured authentic chocolates. This former doctor gave up practice to give the city a taste of real cacao bites that come with tinges of kaffir lime leaves, smoked chilli chocolates, soan papdi, lemongrass and others. Prakriti's specialty is the authenticity of her chocolates. While these are her regulars, this season she has some hot sellers such as paan masala, motichor, kaju-katli halwa truffle, mango chat and gujiya-infused chocolates.
Contact: +91-9560516418, and www.chockriti.com. Deliveries available
in India, US, UK, Canada, Singapore and the Middle east

What: Wasabi brownies
Where: Cakes Mama Bakes

Delhi-based Ipshita Mazumdar Chakladar's cakes are poetry in fondant. Painted tea cups, a princess sitting on a sofa, colourful peacocks, dressers, stilettos and painted cakes are part of her flawless works. Ipshita, a graduate from the Indian Institute of Hotel Management, who was a journalist for 14 years, has a range of quirky brownies. Take for instance the wasabi, candied ginger, salted caramel and other flavours that both please and surprise the palate.
Contact: +919811550292

If you want to experiment in the kitchen, here are a couple of traditional recipes with a twist, by Rama Sreekant

Pinni Srikhand Granola
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: -
Serves: 4
Ingredients
250 gm Pinni (A typical Punjabi ghee-filled sweet, a richer version of besan ladoo)
250 gm hung yogurt
4 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp rolled oats
2 tbsp chopped pistas
2 tbsp corn flakes

Method
1. Mix together pinni, rolled oats, pista and corn flakes. Mix it with your hands till it becomes a crumbly texture.
2. Mix sugar and hung yogurt. In a glass, layer alternately with yogurt and pinni granola. Serve immediately.

Paan Supari Cheesecake with Gulkand Jelly
Preparation time: 25minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes: 20 portions
Ingredients
For Cheesecake
400 gm sweetened whipped cream
10 gm gelatin
100 gm paan leaves puree
100 ml milk
30 gm fennel seeds
10 gm supari
30 gm dry rose petals
200 gm mascarpone cheese
For Jelly
100 gm gulkand
100 ml water
8 gm gelatin

Method
1. For the jelly, soak gelatin for 10min in 20ml cold water. Boil the remaining water and gulkand. Add gelatin to this mixture when hot and set it in a mould. Put it to refrigerate for 2hrs.
2. For the mousse, boil (together) paan leaves puree, milk, fennel seeds, supari and rose petals. Strain and allow to cool. Add mascarpone cheese, melted gelatin and then fold in the whipped cream.
3. Layer this mousse mixture in a rectangle mould, filling one-third of the pan, level it with a spoon.
4. Add a layer of pre-set jelly and then fill the mould with remaining mousse. Refrigerate it for 1 hour. Then demould and cut into desired shape.

(Recipe courtesy: Chef Kunal Kapur)

(With inputs from Amrita Madhukalya)