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Diwali, frequently referred to as the festival of lights, is a celebration of positivity over negativity. It’s the most broadly observed celebration across India and resembles the atmosphere of Christmas in the west. The occasion is linked to fireworks, bright colours, non-stop gatherings and countertops straining under the immense load of culinary delights and sweets. No Diwali is finished without packages of confections and preserved fruits shared among loved ones and relatives. Across the United Kingdom, the practices are preserved, dressing up, going to places of worship, reading Indian mythology to the children and, above all, gathering with friends from every background and religion. For me, Diwali is about togetherness and distributing meals that feels special, but doesn’t keep you in the cooking area for extended periods. The bread pudding is my interpretation of the rich shahi tukda, while these ladoos are ideal for presenting or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the feast.

Effortless Ladoos (Shown Above)

Ladoos are one of the most famous Indian confections, right up there with gulab jamuns and jalebis. Imagine a traditional Indian halwai’s shop filled with confectioneries of all forms, colour and size, all skillfully made and liberally topped with ghee. Ladoos often take the spotlight, making them a popular choice of gift during auspicious occasions or for giving to gods and goddesses at temples. This version is among the easiest, needing only a few components, and is ready quickly.

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

4 ounces of clarified butter
250 grams of gram flour
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder
1 pinch saffron (as an option)
50 grams of combined almonds and pistachios, heated and broken into pieces
180-200g granulated sugar, according to preference

Heat the ghee in a non-stick skillet on a moderate heat. Turn down the heat, incorporate the gram flour and heat, while stirring continuously to blend it with the melted ghee and to prevent it from sticking or burning. Persist with cooking and blending for 30 to 35 minutes. Initially, the mix will resemble damp sand, but as you continue cooking and blending, it will turn to a peanut butter consistency and emit a delightful nutty aroma. Avoid hurrying the process, or walk away from the blend, because it may scorch quickly, and the gradual roasting is vital for the distinctive, nutty taste of the ladoos.

Take the pan off the heat, mix in the cardamom and saffron, if included, then allow to cool until slightly warm when touched.

Mix in the nuts and sweetener to the room temperature ladoo mix, combine well, then pull apart little portions and shape with your hands into 15-20 spherical shapes of 4cm. Set these on a platter spaced slightly apart and let them cool to normal temperature.

You can now serve the ladoos right away, or place them in a tight-lid jar and store in a cool place for as long as one week.

Traditional Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by Hyderabadi shahi tukda, a dish that’s typically made by cooking bread in clarified butter, then soaking it in a thick, rich rabdi, which is produced by heating whole milk for a long time until it thickens to a small portion of its initial amount. The recipe here is a healthier, easier and quicker alternative that needs much less attention and allows the oven to handle the work.

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook 60 minutes plus
Serves 4 to 6

A dozen slices day-old white bread, edges trimmed
100 grams of ghee, or liquid butter
1 litre whole milk
One 397-gram can thickened milk
5 ounces of sugar, or as preferred
a pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp milk
¼ tsp ground cardamom, or the seeds from 2 pods, crushed
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (as an option)
40 grams of almonds, coarsely chopped
40 grams of raisins

Slice the bread into triangles, spread all but a teaspoon of the clarified butter on each side of every slice, then set the triangular pieces as they sit in a buttered, roughly 20cm x 30cm, rectangular ovenproof container.

Using a big bowl, beat the milk, sweetened milk and sugar until the sugar melts, then blend the saffron and the liquid it steeped in, the spices including cardamom and nutmeg, if added. Pour the milk mixture consistently across the bread in the pan, so everything is immersed, then let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Set the oven temperature to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6.

Heat the pudding for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a pick stuck into the center exits without residue.

In the meantime, liquefy the rest of the clarified butter in a little pot over medium heat, then cook the almonds until golden brown. Extinguish the flame, mix in the raisins and let them simmer in the residual heat, blending steadily, for one minute. Scatter the nut and raisin combination over the sweet dish and offer heated or cooled, plain as it is or alongside a portion of vanilla ice-cream.