Looking For Cool Summer Desserts? Try These Chef-Special Recipes At Home

The summer season in India can take the most out of you. The harsh heat and the continuous sweating can only be beaten by consuming something chilled throughout the day. If you have a sweet tooth, you must have a craving for summer special desserts to keep you cool. While you must be having rich kulfis and faloodas every now and then, why don’t you try some fusion desserts?

Keeping the essence of a chilled dessert, here are some summer dessert recipes shared by chefs across the country. Whether you want to have a mango-based dessert or frozen delight, you can try making them at home with these easy-to-follow chef recipes. So, what are you waiting for? Instead of relying on store-bought ice creams, recreate these cool desserts this summer season.

White Chocolate Mousse With Darsaan By Ram Bahadur Budhathoki, Head Chef, Chowman Chain of Restaurants

Ingredients:

• 24.5 ml Milk
• 53.6 gm Fresh Cream
• 3.8 gm Sugar
• 61.3 gm White Chocolate
• 2.1 gm Gelatin
• 30.6 gm Whipped Cream
• 0.3 gm Salt (or as per taste)
• 4.6 gm Butter
• 0.3 gm Vanilla Essence
• 0.5 pc Darsan (half piece)
• 1 whole Strawberry

Instructions:

1. Add milk, crème, and sugar in a saucepan as per the measurement.
2. Keep whipped crème (rigorous whipping) ready in a separate bowl.
3. Low heat the milk, crème & sugar under 70 degrees while gently stirring with a spatula for ½ mins (don’t mix rigorously to avoid aeration from the crème).
4. Add 1 cap of vanilla essence into the mix and again mix on low heat.
5. Take off the pan from the heat, and add the crushed white chocolate. Stir till the chocolate melts
6. Add a mix of gelatin (into water) and mix gently, followed by butter.
7. Re-whisk the whipped crème and pour the chocolate mix on the whipped crème (never pour the whipped crème on the chocolate mix).
8. Add salt and slowly mix. Strain if needed to avoid any gelatin residue.
9. Tap to spread, cover with a thin wrap and refrigerate evenly. 
10. While the White Mousse Base is setting in, let’s prepare the Honey tossed Darsaan. 
11. Fry the Darsaan, create a honey syrup, and add some white sesame. 
12. Either toss the fried Darsaan or mix the syrup with the pre-fried Darsaan. 
13. Take the set white mousse base from the refrigerator and mound the top with the Darsaan.
14. Garnish with some fresh sliced- strawberries, and add mint leaves on top.

Mini Pistachio Kulfi Bites By Chef Neha Deepak Shah, American Pistachio Growers

Ingredients:

• 75 g California Pistachio (soaked & peeled) 
• 500 ml milk 
• 1/4 cup milk powder 
• 1/4 cup condensed milk 
• Sweetener of your choice 
• Cardamom (optional)
• Dried rose petals for garnish
• Chopped pistachios for garnish

Instructions:

1. First, cook the milk until it reduces to a Rabri-like consistency. Add the milk powder and condensed milk, stirring well. 
2. The hero of this kulfi is California Pistachio. In a blender, add soaked and peeled pistachios with a little milk and grind to a smooth paste. 
3. Add this pistachio base to the cooked milk. You can also add saffron for extra flavour. 
4. Mix everything well and pour the mixture into your preferred moulds. 
5. Garnish with pistachios and rose petals. Freeze until set. Serve frozen, and enjoy!

Mango Panna Cotta By Ram Bahadur Budhathoki, Head Chef, Chowman Chain of Restaurants

Ingredients:

• 28 gm Milk
• 70 gm Fresh Cream
• 7 gm Sugar
• 41 gm White Chocolate
• 2 gm Gelatin
• Salt as per taste
• 0.81 gm Mango Essence (approx. 1 cap)
• 6.1 gm Butter
• 12 gm Mango Cubes (for juice + cubes)
• 1 pair Mint Leaves

Instructions:

1. Add milk, fresh cream, and sugar into a saucepan as per the given measurements and heat gently.
2. Stir slowly and gently to avoid incorporating air (no vigorous mixing, especially to protect the cream).
3. Add 1 cap of mango essence to the mixture and continue stirring on low heat.
4. Take the saucepan off the heat. Add the gelatin (pre-mixed with a small amount of water) into the pan and stir until fully dissolved.
5. Pour into serving glasses/moulds and refrigerate for 6–8 hours to set.
6. Take fresh mango pulp or chopped mangoes in a pan.
7. Add sugar (optional), gelatin water, and stir on low heat for 1–2 minutes until the mango softens and starts to liquefy.
8. Remove from heat and refrigerate for 6 hours until set.
9. Take the set base from the refrigerator. Using a crème cone or spoon, carefully layer the mango comport on top of the base.
10. Add chopped mango cubes over the top. Garnish with a pair of mint leaves before serving.