Indulgent Homemade Raksha Bandhan Desserts to Delight Your Siblings

Introduction to Raksha Bandhan Desserts

Raksha Bandhan, which celebrates the bond between siblings, falls on August 28 this year. Sweets are an integral part of this festival’s celebration, just like any other Indian festival. Sweets are shared to symbolize the sweetness of a sibling relationship, but also signify love, care, and affection shared between brothers and sisters. This Raksha Bandhan, instead of getting store-bought sweets, why not make the event even better by making some homemade Raksha Bandhan desserts? Here are some ideas:

Chocolate Besan Ladoo with Cadbury Dairy Milk

Key Ingredients & Flavor Combinations

• Besan (gram flour)
• Ghee
• Powdered sugar
• Cadbury Dairy Milk, finely chopped
• Cardamom powder
• Chopped nuts, such as almonds or pistachios

How to Make

• Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and add besan to it.
• Roast it on a low flame while continuously stirring so that the mixture becomes fragrant and has a golden color.
• Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool down a bit.
• Add sugar powder and cardamom to it and mix it properly.
• Now, separately, melt the Dairy Milk and add it to the besan mixture.
• Mix it properly and add the chopped nuts.
• Make ladoos of the mixture while it is still warm.
• Top it with nuts or a piece of chocolate and leave it to set.

Tips & Tricks

• Roast besan on low flame to have a well-cooked flavor.
• Do not add sugar to besan as it may change the consistency of the ladoos.
• Wait till the mixture cools down a little before adding the chocolate.
• Add less chocolate to avoid making the ladoos too sweet.
• Store ladoos in an airtight container, thus making it a perfect festive fusion that fits beautifully among homemade Rakhi sweets.

Mango Shrikhand with a Twist of Cadbury Silk

Key Ingredients & Flavor Combinations

• Thick hung curd
• Ripe mango pulp
• Powdered sugar
• Finely chopped Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk
• Cardamom powder
• Saffron strands
• Chopped pistachios or almonds

How to Make

• Take thick curd and put it into a muslin cloth and hang it to drain. Leave it to drain for a few hours.
• Then transfer the hung curd into a bowl and whisk it to get a smooth consistency.
• Add in the mango pulp, powdered sugar, cardamom, and saffron.
• Mix well until everything is evenly combined.
• Then gently fold in the chopped Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, leaving out some for garnishing.
• Chill for 1-2 hrs before serving.
• Then serve chilled with some chopped pistachios, some saffron, and chopped chocolate on top. It is a delicious addition to homemade Raksha-bandhan desserts.

Tips & Tricks

• Use sweet, ripe mangoes for their natural fruity flavor.
• Make sure to drain the curd thoroughly so that the shrikhand turns out thick and creamy.
• Add sugar in small quantities because both the mango and the chocolate will add sweetness to the dessert.
• Gently mix in the dark chocolate to keep the small pieces of chocolate in the shrikhand.
• Remember to refrigerate the shrikhand before serving it.

Moong Dal Halwa with a Bournville Twist

Key Ingredients & Flavor Combinations

The traditional moong dal halwa gets a rich chocolate twist with Bournville. The dark chocolate flavor nicely complements the nutty moong dal, ghee, cardamom, and chopped nuts without masking the sweet dish's traditional flavors. This makes it a delicious addition to homemade Rakhi sweets.

Ingredients:

• 120 gm moong dal
• 8 tbsp ghee
• 1/2 tbsp semolina
• 120 ml water
• 120 ml milk
• 120 gm sugar
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• Bournville chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 6-8 peeled and sliced almonds
• 6-8 peeled and sliced pistachios

How to Make

• Rinse the moong dal well under running water, then add it to a mixer grinder and create a smooth paste.
• Heat about 6 tablespoons of ghee in a pan and then roast the semolina in it.
• Then add the moong dal paste into this and keep stirring constantly on medium heat.
• Eventually, the dal paste will be cooked and become crumbly.
• Keep cooking it, and you will notice the color change to golden brown.
• At this point, add 120 ml each of milk and water. Keep stirring to break any lumps.
• Once the dal absorbs the liquid and thickens, add the sugar and mix well.
• Then add the remaining two tablespoons of ghee and cardamom powder.
• Reduce the heat and add the finely chopped Bournville until the chocolate melts and is evenly blended into the Halwa.
• Kee.p stirring until you see the fat lining the sides of the halwa.
• Then add the blanched and sliced nuts. You can also toast them in advance if you want some extra crunch.
• Also keep some chocolate and chopped nuts for garnishing on top before serving.

Tips & Tricks

• Roast the moong dal till it turns golden brown in color.
• While stirring continuously, add milk and water so that it does not get lumpy.
• Add Bournville in the halwa which has been cooked thick a little at a time so that it mixes well; otherwise, the halwa may become runny.
• Use warm milk to make the halwa so that it is not lumpy.
• The halwa needs to be cooked till the ghee starts running down the sides to get a nice glossy finish.

Microwave Mysore Pak with a Cadbury Twist

Key Ingredients & Flavor Combinations

This soft and sweet Mysore Pak is made even better with the addition of rich and creamy Cadbury chocolate. The sweetness of the chocolate blends well with the roasted besan and ghee to form a rich and cocoa-flavored treat that still retains its traditional charm. It is a fun twist for homemade Raksha Bandhan desserts.

Ingredients:

• 120 gm roasted gram flour
• 240 gm powdered sugar
• 120 gm ghee
• 2 tsp milk
• Cadbury chocolate, finely chopped

How to Make:

• Roast the besan in a pan for about 10 to 12 minutes until it changes color and becomes aromatic.
• Then melt the ghee in the microwave, and add it to the roasted besan. Also add the powdered sugar and the milk.
• Transfer all of this into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about a minute.
• Remove from the microwave and stir well. At this point, you will see the ghee on the top of the besan.
• Add the chopped Cadbury chocolate and stir well until melted and thoroughly mixed into the mixture while the mixture is still warm.
• Microwave in intervals of a minute at least twice. After this, the mixture will become crumbly.
• Stir well in between intervals so that the chocolate is evenly blended into the mix.
• Let it rest at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes, then spread it into a thali greased with ghee.

Tips & Tricks

• Use finely chopped chocolate so that it melts readily and smoothly.
• Make sure to mix well so that there are no lumps of chocolate.
• Avoid overcooking so that the Mysore pak has a smooth consistency.
• Make sure to spread the mixture evenly in the greased thali.