Flavour Diaries

The best of both worlds: Indian-Mediterranean fusion desserts you can try at home

24 September 2021 | Desserts, Indian fusion, Lebanon

Indian cuisine does not shy away from spices, and neither does Mediterranean! So much so, that you’d even find spices in both Indian and Mediterranean desserts! Saffron, cardamom, cinnamon and more - you’d just as easily find these spices in Greek baklavas as you would in an Indian mithai.

The desserts in each culture have their own characteristics. Most Mediterranean desserts are made using dough or pastry, layered with nuts, dates, and syrup. The Indian desserts are much softer – mostly consisting of milk, flour, sugar, fruits and nuts, and a generous amount of ghee. But the similarities in flavour, with the generous use of nuts and spices, made this a fusion waiting to happen.

If you are looking for a Mediterranean dessert that suits your Indian palate – our Kunafa and Baklava are just the ones for you. It brings the best of both worlds to give you something new, familiar, and undeniably delicious.

Baklava

One of our bestsellers is our take on the popular Baklava. This Mediterranean layered dessert is made with filo pastry and a filling of nuts and cinnamon and sweetened with honey. Indians love mithai – the rich taste of ghee and sugar marking every celebration. So, why not bring them together?

We layer the delicate filo pastry reminiscent of the classic baklava with soft khoya (milk solids), nuts, and cardamom. The light sheets of pastry paired with the creamy mithai filling – every bite just dissolves in your mouth.

 

Kunafa

While cheese seems like a savoury ingredient, you’d be surprised by how much goodness they bring to a dessert. The cheesecake has gained a lot of popularity over the years, but the Mediterranean /Middle Eastern countries have been using cheese in their desserts for over six centuries – with their Kunafa. A Turkish dessert with Middle Eastern origins, this dessert is a staple at special or celebratory events.

A traditional dessert made with shredded filo pastry, cheese filling, and a drizzle of rose-flavoured sugar syrup, this sweet delight has stood the test of time. Hot, warm, cold – you can eat the Kunafa any way you like. Variations of it can be found around the world, and we just had to try our own take on it.

We swapped the filo pastry with vermicelli and used a paneer and cream cheese filling to add a touch of home. The paneer paired with the cream cheese makes the filling that much softer – combined with the added crunch of the roasted vermicelli and sweetness of the sugar syrup – nothing hits the spot like a desi version of the Kunafa.

Here are other interesting fusion desserts..

We should add the following:

Gulab Jamun Cheesecake / Cake
Rasmalai Cheese cake / Cke
Mango Rabdi Panna Cotta
Jalebi cake
Avocado Kulfi
Gulab Jamun Frangipan Tart

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