You better watch out, you better not cry, for this festive season is going to be filled with joy. We are only days away from Christmas, and by now most of you would have already stocked up on a dozen of plum cakes, some for yourself, some for your friends. If not, well then, fret not. Turns out, Indian Christmas was never really dependent on this rich and chocolatey cake. There are plenty of local, traditional desserts that have been making the holiday merrier, in its own sweet way.
Here are some Indian Christmas desserts you must try if you haven’t already:
Allahabadi Cake
Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad, was once densely populated by Anglo Indians, many of whom worked for the railways and lived in government accommodations. The first-ever Allahabadi cake was made in 1963 by Bushy Bakery, a modest bakery in the Civil Lines, run by Mohammad Aslam. An Anglo-Indian lady, named Ms Barnett of the Railway colony, requested Aslam to bake this special cake that had petha (a sweet, translucent candy made of ash gourd), murabba, ghee, and fennel seeds.
Dodol
There’s more to Goan Christmas than Bebinca. Take for instance this sticky, sweet toffee called Dodol. Brown in colour, this delish toffee is made with coconut milk, rice flour, jaggery, almonds, and cashews. Dodol and its variants are also very popular in Indonesia and Myanmar.
Kalkals
Also known as Kulkuls, in one glance, they may pass off as a kind of pasta, but this textured, crispy, sweet treat is very crucial to Goa’s Christmas fare. It is said to be inspired by Filhoses Enroladas, a rolled pastry that resembles a rose. The deep-fried, curly Goan pastry is often kept in air-tight containers and served to guests visiting.
Guava Cheese
Yes, you read that right. This Goan ‘Guava Cheese’ is nothing like the cheeses you have grown up eating. It traces its history to Brazil, colonised by Portuguese, where they used guavas as a substitute to oranges in marmalades. The Portuguese also got the recipe to their Indian colony in Goa. Also known as ‘Guava Paste’ or ‘Goan Perad’, it is usually served as a thick slab that can be cubed and shared like a jelly sweet. Made with red guavas, sugar, ghee, and lemon juice, Guava Cheese can be stored for months.
Madua
This humble, rustic cake from Jharkhand is slowly losing relevance, with the rise in sales of fruit cakes and plum cakes. Jharkhand has a small but significant Christian population and the celebrations are characterised by huge bonfires, singing, dancing, and lots of food. This rustic cake made with ragi flour, dry fruits sugar et al, forms an integral part of the celebrations.