Delicious decadent desserts from around the world!
If you love mangoes and also happen to love cheesecake, this dessert will blow your mind! Sweet mango blended with a custard-like cream cheese filling, baked in a crushed pistachio & cardamom crust, this gluten-free Instant Pot Mango Cheesecake is crazy delicious! It’s a nice fruity twist on my original cheesecake recipe for a New York style cheesecake. Continue Reading…
Dulce de Leche is a rich and velvety smooth, one-ingredient caramel sauce that is great for dipping and topping. Traditionally, it is made by simmering sweetened milk over slow heat for several hours. My simple recipe for Instant Pot Dulce De Leche Caramel, is hands-off and helps you achieve the same rich taste with just two minutes of prep, in half the time of a stove recipe! Continue Reading…
If you’re a fan of chocolate brownies, you will love this recipe for Instant Pot Fudgy Brownies! They are the BEST brownies ever! They are moist, chewy and super fudgy. The texture is as if Chocolate Brownies and Molten Lava Cake had a baby 🙂
At my house, we all love brownies! We can have them in any season, anytime of the day (ok, I ‘generally’ don’t allow them for breakfast), with vanilla or mint-chocolate chip ice-cream, drizzled with caramel or chocolate sauce, or, my favorite way, as-is. But there is one thing all four of us are particular about, they have to be FUDGY brownies! I’ve been making fudge brownies in the oven for over a decade now. But recently, after several delicious batches of Chocolate Lava cake in the Instant Pot, I decided to give Instant Pot brownies a shot.
For the purpose of this experiment, I used our favorite brownie-mix from Trader Joe’s, and now, I am excited to try our zillion variation of brownies from scratch. Next on my list is my kids’ recipe for 4-ingredient Nutella Brownies! Can’t wait!
Kesar Badam halwa, or Saffron Almond Pudding, is the undisputed “king” of Indian desserts. Made using just six simple ingredients, it is one of the most delicious and decadent desserts. I make it using almond flour , milk, butter or ghee (clarified butter), sugar, cardamom and saffron.
Naturally sweet and nutty almond flour
I add milk for a creamy and silky smooth texture. Saffron provides a beautiful floral aroma and vibrant yellow color to this halwa. I add a pinch of freshly crushed cardamom since that enhances and compliments the flavors of saffron.
Up until I came up with this recipe, I had been making Almond Halwa following my mother-in-law’s super delicious recipe.
I would start by soaking the almonds in warm water for 3-4 hours, peel off their skin, then puree them into a paste using about a quarter cup of milk. I would then saute the almond paste and sugar mix in ghee. Saffron soaked in warm milk would go in and I’d continue to saute till it reached a pudding like consistency.
That process took anywhere from 30 -45 minutes depending on the quantity. During the entire process, I would have to stir almost continuously to prevent the almond paste and sugar from sticking at the bottom and burning.
The result was always finger-licking good, but, it was a labor of love!
Gujiya, or Milk Fudge Turnovers, are a popular Indian dessert commonly made in the northern part of India around the festivals of Holi and Diwali.
Gujiya is a sweet dumpling that is made by stuffing pastry dough with sweetened milk fudge (khoya), chopped nuts and coconut flakes.
Traditionally, you fry the dumplings to make the deep fried gujiya and finish off by glazing with a thick sugar syrup.
The process of making Gujiya requires making a dough with all-purpose flour, ghee (clarified butter) and water. You combine all ingredients and make a soft dough, set it to rest while you prepare the filling.
The filling is made with Khoya as a base. Khoya, also known as Mawa, is basically dried milk solids. It is available in the freezer aisle of your local Indian store, right next to the Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese).
I personally like the brand Nanak for khoya. It comes in a 12 oz pack. This quantity of Khoya makes stuffing good for making 40 Gujiya.
You can either divide the Khoya in half and freeze it, or, make the entire stuffing and freeze that for a later use.
I always prefer to make the stuffing and freeze half for later use, for making Gujiya, or add it to my Gajar Halwa (Carrot Halwa) instead of Khoya!
This is my mother-in-law’s ‘family-famous’ Gujiya recipe. The Gujiya mix is made by crumbling khoya in a mildly warm skillet.
I do this step in the microwave now; it saves so much time and effort. You then add chopped nuts like cashews, almonds and pistachios and also, add the desiccated coconut and freshly ground cardamom powder.
When this mixture is cool, add the sugar to the mix. Now your Gujiya is ready to assemble.
A small dough ball is rolled into a circular shaped disc, about 3-inch in diameter. About 1/2-3/4 tablespoon of khoya mixture goes in the center and then the dough is folded in a crescent shape and edges are sealed. That’s your Gujiya.
You then deep fry the gujiya in medium warm oil till it turns golden in color. Remove the gujiya and put it straight into a sugar syrup.
Toss a few times, remove from the syrup, and set aside on a platter to crisp up. Garnish the gujiyas with chopped pistachios. It is simply a bite of heaven!
My family loves the traditional gujiya. But during the festival season, my husband and I end up “over-indulging”, if that’s a word. I’m sure many can relate to that.
So, after many experiments to reduce the cooking time and to make the gujiya a bit healthier, I finally hit upon this recipe for Baked Gujiya.
Check out this Baked Gujiya recipe, which is my 30-minute, quick and healthier, baked version of this favorite.
Here are some other Indian desserts that I love to make and my family really enjoys.
If you tried this recipe, please give a star ★ rating.
Deep Fried Gujiya, or Milk Fudge Turnovers, are a popular dessert made in the northern part of India around the festivals of Holi and Diwali. It is a deep-fried sweet dumpling that is made by stuffing pastry dough with sweetened milk fudge (khoya), chopped nuts and coconut flakes and is glazed with a thick sugar syrup.
Make Dough: In a large mixing bowl, add soozi and melted ghee (or oil), to the sifted flour and mix with a fork to to mix everything well. I make this dough using the dough attachment on my Food Processor. Add water a few tablespoons at a time to reach a semi-soft dough which has a pizza dough like consistency. Remove dough and knead it for 1-2 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth for 15 minutes. Knead again before rolling it out.
Make Stuffing: Microwave Khoya for 2-3 minutes, in 30 seconds increments to make khoya easy to crumble. Heat non stick skillet/pan on medium heat. Crumble khoya in to the pan. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, press down and break it in smaller pieces. Keep pressing till khoya becomes soft, consistency of a soft dough. (it should be pliable). Turn off the heat. Alternatively, you can do this whole process in the microwave by heating khoya for 3-5 minutes in 1-minute increments, stirring in between, till the khoya becomes soft. Add chopped nuts, coconut powder and cardamom powder. Mix well and allow to cool off for a few minutes (4-5). Add sugar and mix well. Taste to adjust sugar to your taste preference. The stuffing is ready.
Assemble Gujiya: Knead dough for 1-2 minutes and divide it into 20 balls. Dust your rolling pin with some all purpose flour and roll out each ball into a thin circle of about 3 inches diameter. Apply sealing paste on the edges of half the circle. Place about 2 teaspoons or 1/2 a tablespoon of filling in the circle and then fold over to make a crescent shape, and seal the Gujiya edges, (just like you would for a turnover).
Fry Gujiya: Heat oil in between med and med-high. Drop the Gujiya and fry till golden brown- keep flipping 3-4 times. It takes about 4-5 minutes for them to turn golden brown, this time may vary depending on your heat level. Fry the gujiya in two batches (not more than 10 in each round).
Make Sugar Syrup: While Gujiya is frying, heat a sauce pan on medium heat. Add sugar and water. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat till it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5-6 minutes.
Glaze and garnish: Dip fried Gujiya in the cooled sugar syrup, coating well on all sides. Sprinkle some crushed pistachios on top. Place on a wire-rack for setting.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.
25+ Quick ‘n’ Easy Vegetarian Recipes for Holi!Out of all the Indian festivals, Holi is my absolute favorite! It is the festival of colors after all! Growing up in India, that was one day, where everyone could officially go crazy, and get away with it. I still remember how the day before Holi used to go in buying every possible color powder I could find in the stores, and, getting my water guns ready for the big day. I remember waking up before everyone else in the house, with sheer excitement of the day ahead!
The one thing that’s common in all Indian festivals, is a variety of amazingly delicious food. Every region in north India has their own spin on holi delicacies. From savory delicacies to mouth-watering desserts, it is a day spent in food heaven:-) My personal favorite of all these recipes is homemade Gujiya! I could just make a meal out of it 🙂 I used to make Gujiya the traditional way, the way my mother-in-law taught me, stuff them and fry them to a golden brown perfection. But past few years, I have been baking them instead of frying them and my kids love it. They love the flaky pastry and the yummy gujiya filling in every bite. And a big plus is that it is super easy and mess free to make. You can check out the recipe for fried and baked Gujiya underneath. Sharing some of my favorites with you!
Here are 25+ recipes to add to your Holi menu, and the best part is, most of them can be done in under 30 minutes, so that you spend less time cooking, and more time enjoying them! Spice Cravings wishes you all a very Happy Holi!
Carrot Burfi | Gajar ki Burfi can be best described as Carrot Fudge. It is a fudge-like variation of the classic sweet-dish, called Gajar Halwa, from the region of Punjab, in the Indian subcontinent. It is made by slow-cooking grated carrots with milk, ghee, nuts and sugar. I saute the cooked carrots till they are dry enough to form a fudge like consistency.
In this recipe, I have made this dessert healthier (and guilt-free), by substituting half the milk powder with Almond Flour
The best part of making this Carrot Burfi, is that it is a finger-food, no utensils required to eat this, which makes this great for serving at parties. This can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated.
The bigger advantage for me is, that these small individual size squares work great for portion control for me. It lets me enjoy this delicacy without over-indulging, which is really easy in this case 😉
Normally, Gajar ki burfi would take much longer on the stove-top, plus I would have to baby-sit this dish the whole time. By using my electrical pressure cooker, Instant Pot
The traditional recipe also calls for an equal amount of milk and carrots. The milk is reduced on slow heat, till it dries up, leaving behind the fudgy creamy milk solids, which add to the richness of the halwa. The end result is divine, but it does take a fair amount of time, babysitting and muscle power:-)
By substituting most of that milk with dried milk powder and Almond meal, I am able to cut down on that active cooking time, without losing the texture and taste. Dare I mention, I used non-fat milk powder, so I saved a few calories too!
Almond meal is basically almonds ground to a powdery consistency. A finer blend called Almond Flour is also a great option in this recipe. It is available in most supermarkets, and on Amazon too. But, if you cannot find it, simply grind whole almonds into a powder, using a spice or Coffee Bean Grinder
If you like this recipe, you might enjoy the Gajar ka Halwa / Carrol Halwa recipe too! Slight variation in the recipe, but the end result is too hard to resist!
You could follow this recipe steps and cook this halwa on medium heat, till the liquid dries up and you get a fudge-like consistency. It can take around 25-30 minutes. This time can vary, depending on the quantity you’re making.
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Here are some other Indian desserts that I love to make and my family really enjoys.
 Sooji Sheera (Semolina Pudding) |  Kesar Badam Halwa |
 10-Minute Coconut Laddoo |  Easiest Besan Laddoo |
 Gajar ka halwa |  Deep Fried Gujiya |
 Kheer, Rice Pudding |  Baked Gujiya |
 Nankhatai (Almond Spice Cookies) |
If you tried this recipe, please give a star ★ rating. Simply click on the ★ in the Recipe Card!
Gajar ki Burfi can be best described as Carrot Fudge. It's a delicious fudge-like variation of the classic Indian sweet, called Gajar ka Halwa! This healthier recipe substitutes some of the milk powder with almond flour and cuts cooking time using the instant pot pressure cooker.
Prep: Wash, peel and grate carrots. If using a box grater, use the large side. I use my Food Processor to shred the carrots. Chop cashews and almonds and keep aside.
Turn on the instant pot to SAUTE mode, when it displays "hot", add ghee or butter. Add chopped nuts and carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes. This prevents the carrots from turning mushy later. Add warm milk and sugar, stir well. Adding warm milk ensures that the milk won't curdle under pressure, and, speeds up the pressure building time significantly. Close lid and cook on Manual/Pressure Cook for 5 minutes. Set the valve to Sealing position.
If you are new to the Instant Pot, please read my FAQ on Instant Pot Terminology and Accessories to learn more.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.
In my home, the ultimate indulgence is warm -gooey Salted Caramel Molten Lava Cakes. Rich dark chocolate, blended with salted caramel, topped with salted caramel ice-cream, it is a match made in dessert-heaven. It’s our go-to dessert for family game nights or any instant celebrations in the house.
Since this is a decadent dessert, I like to make individual portions using these Silicone Cupcake Liners
Pressure Cooking Salted Caramel Molten lava Cakes
Brownies are one dessert that don’t need an introduction! It’s like someone took chocolate cake and made it fudgy, chewy and gooey on the inside. My family LOVES brownies enough to go any lengths to making them. We make many variations of brownies like, Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies, Salted Caramel Brownies, Double Dark Chocolate Brownies, Peppermint Bark Brownies, and many more. This recipe for 4-ingredient Chocolate brownies is the easiest and one of the tastiest ones we make.
This recipe is really simple to make. All you need is all-purpose flour, Nutella (Hazelnut Spread), eggs and chocolate chips. The addition of chocolate chips makes the brownies really yummy and gooey. The chips melt as the brownies cook and then you bite into pockets of melted chocolate, which adds a whole new flavor dimension. If you don’t care for gooey brownies, you can skip the chocolate chips and make this recipe with just 3-ingredients. Sometimes, we like to add a 5th ingredient to this recipe- chopped walnuts, and that takes it to another level of yumminess! The walnuts provide a nice flavor and texture contrast to the brownies. But that’s purely optional.
The credit for this recipe goes entirely to my kids! They simply love Nutella
This is how you make the 4-Ingredient Chocolate Brownies:
Whisk eggs
Add nutella
Mix
Add sifted flour
Mix gently
Add nuts
Pour in lined pan
Cool before cutting
If you tried this recipe, please give a star ★ rating.
This recipe for 4-ingredient Nutella brownies is simple, quick, and still leads to fudgy, chewy and gooey brownies. This recipe needs just all-purpose flour, Nutella (Hazelnut Spread), eggs and chocolate chips. Walnuts optional.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Carrot Halwa or Gajar ka halwa, also known as Gajrela, is a carrot
It’s consistency is somewhere between a fudge and a pudding. It is made by slow cooking grated carrots with milk and sugar, flavored with cardamom and saffron.
Garnished with chopped almonds and cashews, this dish is the perfect comfort dessert for winters.
I have so many fond memories of my mom’s Carrot Halwa- it was simply amazing. My mom always made it on the stove-top, the traditional low-and-slow way. I was finally able to adapt her recipe to the Instant Pot 6qt
It reduces the cooking time and eliminates the initial stirring time, which to me, is a huge plus. To learn more about the instant pot, check out my Instant Pot FAQ and Accessories blog
Traditionally, gajar ka halwa takes much longer on the stove-top, plus I have to baby-sit this dish the whole time. By using my electrical pressure cooker, Instant Pot
The traditional recipe also calls for an equal amount of milk and carrots. You reduce the milk on slow heat, till it dries up, leaving behind the fudgy creamy milk solids, which add to the richness of the halwa.
The end result is divine, but it does take a fair amount of time, babysitting and muscle power:-)
By substituting most of that milk with dried milk powder, I am able to cut down on that active cooking time, without losing the texture and taste. Dare I mention, I used non-fat milk powder, so I saved a few calories too!
If you are looking for an even healthier twist, you can substitute half the dried milk powder with almond meal. Almond meal is available at most supermarkets and on Amazon too. But, if you cannot find it, simply grind whole almonds into a powder, using a spice or Coffee Bean Grinder
I make another variation of the gajar ka halwa, which is gajar burfi (carrot fudge). This burfi is cut into small pieces that can be eated as finger food. It is also a bit “fudgier” in consistency. Gajar burfi is ideal for big parties where guests can just grab and go.
Here are some other Indian desserts that I love to make and my family really enjoys.
If you tried this recipe, please give a star ★ rating.
Carrot Halwa or Gajar ka Halwa is a dessert from Punjab, in the Indian subcontinent. It's consistency is between a fudge and a pudding. It is made by slow cooking grated carrots with milk and sugar, flavored with cardamom and saffron and garnished with chopped almonds and cashews. A perfect comfort dessert for winters.
Prep: Wash, peel and grate carrots. If using a Box Grater, use the large side. I use my Food Processor to shred the carrots. Chop cashews and almonds and keep aside.
Turn the instant pot on SAUTE mode, when it displays "hot", add ghee or butter. Add chopped nuts and carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes. This prevents the carrots from turning mushy later. Add warm milk, saffron and sugar, stir well. Adding warm milk ensures that the milk won't curdle under pressure, and, speeds up the pressure building time significantly. Close lid and cook on Manual/Pressure Cook for 5 minutes. Set the valve to Sealing position.
Manually quick release pressure (QR) and open the lid after the pin drops. Turn on SAUTE (high). Add milk powder and stir. Cook off the liquid, stirring every few minutes. This takes around 10-15 minutes. The actual time depends on the quantity of carrots as well as your personal preference. For this quantity, it took me 12-13 minutes to reach my desired consistency.
If you are new to the Instant Pot, please read my FAQ on Instant Pot Terminology and Accessories to learn more.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.
