Classic Shrikhand and Eggless Red Velvet Cupcakes

In case you hadn?t noticed, I have been MIA for a week ? but thankfully, I have a great excuse. If you follow me on Facebook you?ll know that I?ve been spending most of time baking for a lovely little party I attended last weekend. On the entirely eggless dessert menu were Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Chocolate Fudge Cake, Vanilla & Cherry Sponge Cake, Chocolate & Coconut Cake Pops and Shrikhand Cheesecake.

Speaking of shrikhand, here?s my very classic (and simple) recipe for one of my favourite Gujarati desserts. I?m adding this to the royal wedding banquet menu not because it?s an authentic Mughlai dish, but because it?s rich, opulent and incredibly well-suited to that particular style of cooking.

Three spices I never fail to add to this dessert are green cardamom seeds, saffron and just a pinch of mace ? these aromatic flavours are what make shrikhand, well shrikhand really. An acquired taste for many, this thick tangy yogurt is the perfect way to end an indulgent meal on a warm day ? and to say today was warm is a hefty understatement.

Without further a due, I?m super sleepy and short on words so grab a spoon and dig in to this shrikhand recipe whilst I anticipate catching some Zzz?s.


Classic Shrikhand
(serves 4-6)

Ingredients

1kg plain natural yogurt
200g icing sugar
½ tsp ground green cardamom seeds
Pinch saffron
Pinch mace
2-3 tbsp coarsely ground pistachios

Method

1. Tip the yogurt into a clean muslin cloth and tie it up tightly with a piece of string right above the top of the yogurt so that the water can drip away.

2. Tie the muslin somewhere where it can hang with a large bowl underneath to catch the water and leave it for 24-48 hours. Keep tipping away the water as the bowl fills up.

3. Remove the yogurt from the muslin and place it in a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix well.

4. Press the yogurt and sugar mixture through a fine-holed sieve to remove any lumps. Work those biceps.

5. Mix in the cardamom powder, saffron, mace and half of the pistachios. Reserve some pistachios for garnishing later. Chill in the fridge until you?re ready to serve.

Before I love you and leave you, here are some photos from Baby J?s (very cakey) welcoming party.

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