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Diwali, widely known as the celebration of illumination, marks the triumph of positivity over negativity. It stands as the most extensively celebrated festival in India and has a similar vibe to holiday festivities abroad. Diwali is characterized by fireworks, brilliant shades, endless parties and countertops straining under the substantial bulk of culinary delights and sweets. No Diwali is complete without packages of confections and preserved fruits passed around friends and family. In the UK, the practices are preserved, putting on festive attire, visiting temples, sharing tales from Indian lore to the little ones and, crucially, meeting with companions from all walks of life and faiths. For me, Diwali is about community and sharing food that seems extraordinary, but won’t leave you in the kitchen for hours. The bread pudding is my take on the decadent shahi tukda, while these ladoos are excellent for giving or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the feast.

Effortless Ladoos (Pictured Top)

Ladoos are one of the most famous Indian confections, comparable to gulab jamuns and jalebis. Imagine a traditional Indian halwai’s shop overflowing with confectioneries of all forms, tint and measurement, all professionally prepared and generously laden with clarified butter. Ladoos often take a prominent position, rendering them a favored option of gift during auspicious occasions or for giving to gods and goddesses at religious sites. This version is one of the simplest, requiring just a handful of ingredients, and can be made in no time.

Prep 10 min
Cook 50 min plus cooling
Makes 15 to 20

4 ounces of clarified butter
250g gram flour
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder
1 pinch saffron (as an option)
50 grams of combined almonds and pistachios, roasted and coarsely chopped
180 to 200 grams of granulated sugar, according to preference

Liquefy the clarified butter in a nonstick pan on a medium flame. Lower the flame, incorporate the gram flour and cook, stirring constantly to integrate it into the heated clarified butter and to prevent it from sticking or burning. Keep cooking and stirring for 30 to 35 minutes. At the start, the mix will resemble moist granules, but with further heating and mixing, it will transform into a peanut butter-like texture and smell wonderfully nutty. Don’t try to rush things, or leave the mix unattended, because it might burn rapidly, and the slow roast is essential to the characteristic, nutty flavour of the ladoos.

Turn off the heat and take the pan, mix in the cardamom and saffron, if using, then set aside to cool until slightly warm when touched.

Add the nuts and sugar to the cooled ladoo mixture, mix thoroughly, then break off small pieces and form using your palms into 15-20 x 4cm balls. Place these on a dish spaced slightly apart and allow to cool to normal temperature.

You can now serve the sweets promptly, or store them in an airtight container and maintain at room temperature for about seven days.

Traditional Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by Hyderabad’s shahi tukda, a food that is commonly created by sautéing bread in ghee, then drenching it in a heavy, luxurious rabdi, which is created by simmering full-fat milk for hours until it reduces to a fraction of its original volume. The recipe here is a healthier, easier and quicker alternative that demands minimal supervision and lets the oven do all the heavy lifting.

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook 60 minutes plus
Serves 4 to 6

12 slices stale white bread, crusts cut off
100 grams of ghee, or heated butter
1 litre whole milk
1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk
150 grams of sugar, or according to taste
1 pinch saffron, immersed in 2 tablespoons of milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom, or the seeds from 2 pods, crushed
a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg powder (optional)
40g almonds, broken into pieces
1.5 ounces of raisins

Slice the bread into triangles, spread all but a teaspoon of the ghee on both faces of each piece, then place the triangles as they sit in a buttered, about 8x12 inches, rectangular ovenproof container.

Using a big bowl, mix the milk, condensed milk and sugar until the sweetener incorporates, then blend the saffron and the liquid it steeped in, the cardamom along with nutmeg, if included. Empty the milk combination uniformly onto the bread in the container, so everything is immersed, then let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Heat the oven to 200 Celsius (180 fan)/390 Fahrenheit/gas 6.

Heat the pudding for 30-35 minutes, until the surface is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Meanwhile, liquefy the rest of the clarified butter in a small skillet on moderate flame, then sauté the almonds until golden. Extinguish the flame, add the raisins and allow them to heat in the remaining warmth, mixing continuously, for 60 seconds. Sprinkle the nut and raisin mix over the pudding and offer heated or cooled, simply on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.