By Sushmita Sengupta
No Plum cake, no problem. Indian Christmas was never really dependent on it. There are plenty of traditional desserts that have been making the festival special, in its own sweet way.
One has to thank an Anglo-Indian lady Ms. Barnet and Bushy bakery for this peculiar cake. In the 60’s she requested the baker to bake a special cake featuring petha, murabba, ghee, and fennel seeds!
The sticky, sweet toffee called Dodol is a Goan Christmas favourite. Brown in colour, this delish toffee is made with coconut milk, rice flour, jaggery, almonds, and cashews.
The curly, crispy rolled pastry may look like a pasta, but is actually a Christmas treat of Goa. It is said to be inspired by Portuguese Filhoses Enroladas, a rolled pastry that resembles a rose.
The origins of the sweet, jelly-like treat go back to Portuguese colony of Brazil, where they substituted oranges in marmalades with goa in times of crisis. The Portuguese brought the recipe to Goa too.
This humble, rustic cake is made with Ragi flour, cocoa and nuts. It is an essential part of the Christmas celebrations in Jharkhand.