The festive season brings
every kind of dessert you could want. Here's how to pick the healthiest
one
It's that time of the
year when every house, every room and
even office desks are stacked with
mithai boxes, chocolate hampers, sweet wraps and various dessert
options. While it is a common practice to do away with your diet during
festivals, there are many who believe in practising moderation. For
people who wish to keep their health in check, chefs and bakers around
the country suggest healthier variations of Diwali sweets.
Health vs taste
However much you may you try, you can't abstain from sweets during
Diwali. But the idea is to have sweets, which are healthier versions of
classic desserts. Homebased baker Salika Bali says, “Eliminat
ing sugar doesn't work in classic recipes. That's where substitutes
work. Sugar can be replaced with stevia, natural honey, brown sugar and
maple syrup. Butter can be replaced with olive oil. There are even
delicious offbeat desserts, which focus more on natural flavours of
fresh ingredients. Examples include dark chocolate raspberry bean
brownies, flourless lemon poppy seed muffins, flourless cranberry
chocolate chip cookies, strawberry oatmeal quinoa bars and blueberry
peach quinoa crumble.“
A healthier version is to prepare
desserts with fruits. “For instance, instead of preparing flour and
sugar jalebis, you can look at making apple and pineapple jalebis.Slice
the fruits, lace them in batter, fry in ghee and give them a honey bath.
Then sprinkle some chopped dry fruits on them. This is both, healthy
and tasty,“ avers Rana Dominic Gomes, executive chef at a well-known
hotel. Replace refined flour with whole wheat or millet flour, and white
rice with brown rice. Once your ingredients are in order, focus on
preparation. “Instead of deep-fried sweets, consume sweets that can be
baked, steamed,
boiled or shallow fried. It is always good to use natural, in-season
ingredients for a healthy body,“ adds executive pastry chef Anil Kumar.
If you choose the ingredients wisely, any dessert can be made healthy.
Rashi Chowdhary, nutritionist and owner of a bakery shop, avers,
“Diwali desserts are usually loaded with milk, refined sugar and
sometimes refined oil. All of these are inflammatory ingredients and can
be replaced with healthy counterparts. If you are lactose intolerant,
you can use coconut milk. The fat content in this is the best
form of fat for your heart, appetite and metabolism. The flavour of
coconut further complements the taste of Indian desserts.“
Stylish designs
Everyone wants to eat attractively presented desserts.“People are
experimenting with western desserts for Diwali gifting. Other
than just a platter of laddoos or barfis; diyas, lanterns and
pataka-shaped cupcakes made of chocolate are in demand. Platters with
Diwali motifs like chakri, anar, phuljhadi are also trending.Sweets
shaped as diyas, kalash, shankh, and so on are `in' this festive
season,“ says Chef Mohammed Akhtar.
Desserts for diabetics
From phirni to mousse, almost all desserts can be made with sugar-free
substitutes. Erri Santosh Reddy, a pastry chef at a well-known hotel,
says, “One can do a healthy Swiss carrot cake made with sugar-free
substitutes without com promising on the texture and
taste.
Muesli baked custard oat and sunflower mousse cake can be
considered for dessert options. Healthy breads like three seed bread,
oat bran bread are some healthy bakery products as well.“
“Instead of refined sugar, you can use raw honey or dates. These aren't
as addictive as refined sugar and provide a whole lot of nutrients like
potassium, iron etc. Most importantly, don't opt for fatfree dessert.
Adding healthy fat in the form of coconut oil,
desi ghee or butter is one way to ensure a slow and favourable rise in
blood glucose levels.Without healthy quality fat, your sugar level rises
too quickly followed by a quick dip, which leaves you craving more
sugar.Refrain from using refined vegetable oils as their cheap
processing methods make them toxic to consume,“ adds Chowdhary.
Healthy substitutes
Elements like almond flour, coconut oil, dates, nuts and other natural
foods like avocados not only make desserts tasty, but also very healthy
in terms of their nutritional value. Fat
found in ghee, butter, coconut oil and avocado oil are all extremely
good for your heart and hormones and can heal your metabolism.
“Bakers are moving towards gluten-free, low carb, eggless and light desserts.
Whole grain desserts are also becoming popu lar,“ adds chef Sanjana Pa
tel. With the inclusion of sugar free and low calorie sup plements,
which are almost as good as sugar these days, it has become relatively
easy for bakers and patisseries to come out with desserts, which are
healthy.Vikram Chanana, executive sous chef at a popular hotel, says, “A
lot of fancy ingredients such as sugar free gelatin, vegetarian
gelatin, flours from
grains such as quinoa and millet, natural leavening agents and organic
preservatives are being used these days to create desserts and other
baked products. Ingredients such as quinoa flour, palm sugar, maple
syrup, stevia, natural fruit purees, lentil flour, low fat milk and
natural sweeteners play a much larger role in preparing various
desserts.“
Desserts of the season
Pastry chef Radheika Mittal says
that `luxe desserts' in terms of design and ingredients are trending.
“These use the freshest and the best quality chocolates and are
beautifully wrapped and presented. Fusion desserts like masala chai
chocolate bon bon and ras malai tiramisu are varieties we are doing this
Diwali,“ she says.
As we come to terms with the possibility of this unimaginable
world without chocolate, we trace its the journey of its origin and
discovery, help you cook with it and tell you where to eat and buy the
good stuff in the city.
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