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Diwali, widely known as the event of lamps, marks the triumph of light over darkness. It’s the most widely marked festival in India and has a similar vibe to Christmas in the west. Diwali is characterized by pyrotechnic displays, brilliant shades, continuous festivities and countertops straining under the immense load of culinary delights and sweets. No Diwali is complete without containers of mithai and preserved fruits passed around kin and companions. In the UK, the practices are preserved, putting on festive attire, attending religious sites, reading Indian mythology to the little ones and, above all, assembling with pals from diverse cultures and beliefs. For me, the festival centers on togetherness and sharing food that seems extraordinary, but won’t leave you in the kitchen for hours. The bread pudding is my interpretation of the decadent shahi tukda, while the spherical sweets are perfect to gift or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the feast.

Simple Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are one of the most iconic Indian sweets, right up there with gulab jamuns and jalebis. Picture an Indian halwai’s shop overflowing with sweets of every shape, colour and size, all professionally prepared and generously laden with traditional butter. Ladoos commonly hold the spotlight, making them a popular choice of present for festive events or for presenting to divine figures at religious sites. This adaptation is one of the most straightforward, requiring just a handful of ingredients, and can be made in no time.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes along with cooling
Makes 15-20

110 grams of ghee
9 ounces of chickpea flour
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder
a pinch of saffron (optional)
50 grams of combined almonds and pistachios, heated and broken into pieces
180-200g granulated sugar, according to preference

Melt the ghee in a Teflon-coated pan on a medium heat. Lower the flame, add the gram flour and cook, stirring constantly to integrate it into the heated clarified butter and to make sure it doesn’t catch and burn. Persist with cooking and blending for 30 to 35 minutes. At the start, the mixture will look like damp sand, but with further heating and stirring, it will transform into a peanut butter-like texture and smell wonderfully nutty. Don’t try to rush things, or walk away from the blend, because it can burn very easily, and the slow roast is critical for the characteristic, nutty flavour of the sweet balls.

Remove the pan from the stove, blend the cardamom and saffron, if using, then set aside to cool until moderately warm on contact.

Add the nuts and sugar to the room temperature ladoo mix, stir completely, then break off small pieces and shape with your hands into 15-20 x 4cm balls. Place these on a dish with some distance between them and let them cool to ambient temperature.

They can be served the ladoos immediately, or store them in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for as long as one week.

Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by Hyderabad’s shahi tukda, a recipe that is usually prepared by sautéing bread in ghee, then immersing it in a dense, creamy rabdi, which is created by simmering full-fat milk for an extended period until it condenses to a fraction of its original volume. This adaptation is a more nutritious, simpler and faster option that requires a lot less tending to and lets the oven do all the heavy lifting.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour or more
Serves 4-6

12 slices stale white bread, crusts removed
100g ghee, or melted butter
1 liter of whole milk
One 397-gram can condensed milk
150 grams of sugar, or to taste
a pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp milk
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder, or the contents of 2 pods, ground
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (if desired)
40 grams of almonds, broken into pieces
40 grams of raisins

Cut the bread into triangles, coat nearly all but a spoonful of the ghee on both faces of every slice, then place the triangles as they fall in a greased, approximately 20cm by 30cm, rectangular baking dish.

Within a sizable container, whisk the milk, sweetened milk and sugar until the sweetener incorporates, then blend the saffron and the milk it was soaked in, the cardamom along with nutmeg, if added. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the bread in the dish, so everything is immersed, then allow to soak for a short while. Set the oven temperature to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/gas mark 6.

Bake the pudding for 30 to 35 minutes, until the surface is golden brown and a pick stuck into the center comes out clean.

At the same time, liquefy the rest of the clarified butter in a small pan on a medium heat, then cook the almonds until golden brown. Extinguish the flame, incorporate the raisins and leave them to cook in the leftover temperature, mixing continuously, for a minute. Scatter the nut and raisin combination over the sweet dish and serve warm or chilled, simply on its own or alongside a portion of vanilla ice-cream.