Dessert

Sinking your teeth into Pani Walalu is a textural delight as much as it is a flavourful sensation. Crispy and sweet on the outside, soft and slightly savoury on the inside, these fermented urad dal sweets are an unusual but extremely satisfying treat. They are traditionally prepared for Sri Lankan New Year, which is celebrated on the 13th and 14th of April. 

Despite being called “Almond Tofu”, Xingren Doufu is traditionally not made with almonds at all. The reason for this is a simple linguistic confusion. The mandarin words Xing Ren are commonly used to refer to both almonds and apricot kernels. And since apricot kernels have a similar flavour to almonds, Xingren Doufu is often called almond tofu.

If you ever added a small amount of water to melted chocolate, you’ll have witnessed the unfortunate transformation from a luxurious texture to a stiff paste. The chocolate seized. There is, however, a way to add water to chocolate without it seizing. And what’s even more exciting is that you can use that method to turn the liquid chocolate into a rich mousse.

Using only a few key ingredients, Biancomangiare (translating to “eating white”) is a dessert of purity and elegance that shines a spotlight on one of Sicliy’s most prized treasures. Almonds.

Amongst many other treasures, Tuscany is known for an abundance of chestnuts. Once considered a food of the poor, who foraged the fallen nuts in the forests, dried them and ground them into flour, chestnuts are nowadays considered somewhat of a luxury. And as such, this dessert has long conquered the heart of many Italians, while still remaining fairly unknown elsewhere.

Avocado might not be the secret ingredient you’re hoping for when thinking of a velvety, rich chocolate mousse. But since avocados are high in fat and, once ripened, also velvety smooth, they are indeed the perfect addition to a rich dessert. And don’t worry, you won’t actually taste the avocado. Win win.

Tembleque translates to wobbly, which does a good job a describing the visual texture, but doesn’t do justice to the velvety and creamy consistency of the dessert. Ever since I set out to discover traditional plant-based dishes from around the world, I’ve been surprised by how many naturally vegan options of popular everyday foods have long existed around us.

After a day of filming, this is usually the snack I sit down to. It’s so simple that I never considered turning it into a recipe, yet it is one of the most joyful things I make at home. In fact, I purposefully buy extra bananas just so I can gleefully watch them pass their prime. At this point, making the ice cream week after week becomes a selfless act of food preservation.

Salame di Cioccolato is a traditional dessert from Italy and Portugal that is actually more common during Easter, but its festive look also makes it a great occasion for Christmas. It is usually made with chocolate and butter, but I am using dried figs and a bit of olive oil instead, which helps to hold the salami together while also naturally sweetening it without the need for added sugar.