The spirit of festivity is always incomplete without desserts. As a part of our #OTFestiveRecipes series, we’ve got in touch with the best of the best and brought you easy to spin recipes from the kitchens of some of the best in the industry.

For this instalment in the series, we got in touch with Chef Anas Qureshi from Molecule, Chef Harangad Singh from Parat and Chef Arvind Bharti from Unplugged Courtyard. Have a sweet Diwali!

Gulab Jamun Cheesecake by Chef Anas Qureshi

Ingredients:
350g plain digestive biscuits
120g ghee or unsalted butter, melted, cooled
600g cream cheese, softened
350g jaggery, chopped
8 gulab jamuns
1 cup (250g) sour cream
200ml thickened cream
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup (50g) cornflour
2 tsp lemon juice
50g blueberry compote

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a round 20cm springform cake pan and line the base and side with baking paper.

2. Place biscuits in a food processor and whiz to crumbs. Add ghee and whiz to combine. Press into the base of the prepared pan and chill until needed.

READ: Festive Recipes from Cross Border Kitchens  

3. Place cream cheese and 250g jaggery in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Beat in sour cream and cream. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cornflour and lemon juice, Cut the gulab jamuns into halves and place them on the biscuit base and pour the cream cheese mix over it. Wrap the outside of the pan in 3 layers of foil and place in a large roasting pan. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the cake.

4. Reduce oven to 150°C and bake cake for one hour, 40 minutes or until just set with a gentle wobble in the centre. Turn off the oven and cool for one hour in the oven. Remove cake from oven, cool to room temperature, then chill for three hours or until cold. Remove from pan and place on a serving plate.

5. When ready to serve, melt remaining 100g jaggery in a small saucepan over medium heat with 2tbsp water, stirring to dissolve the jaggery. Cool completely, then pour over the cake garnish with blueberry compote and fresh mint leaves.

Paan Jamun by Chef Harangad Singh

Ingredients (For 20 pieces):
Khoya 500gm
Chena 100gm
Maida 100gm
Elachi powder  1/2 TSP
Baking powder 1/2 tsp

Method:
1. Mash khoya so fine that there is no grainy texture. You can grate and then mash it.

2. Now add the chena, maida, elachi powder, baking powder.

3. Knead the dough ensuring that no lumps are there and you form a smooth dough add milk if the mixture looks dry. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile make sugar syrup.

5. Roll them into equal size small smooth balls.

READ: Festive Recipes from the Kitchen of JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

For sugar syrup
1.5 cup sugar
1 cup water
1tsp rose water
1tsp milk ( see notes)

Method:
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan on a medium heat.  Drop in a few threads of saffron and green cardamom.

For frying the jamuns:
1. Heat ghee in a wok on a medium heat once hot lower the flame and wait a minute pop in the jamuns slowly and fry on a low heat.

2. Once they start to brown rotate slowly so that they have even colouring on all sides.

3. Remove and drain on the kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

4. Add the jamuns to the sugar syrup and keep the syrup on a low flame until the jamuns are soft.

5. Heating will help the jamun absorb sugar syrup and become soft.

6. Do not overcrowd them.

Banana and Toffee Toast by Chef Arvind Bharti

Ingredients:
White bread slices  2
Thick fresh cream   1 cup
Coconut oil   35 ml
Egg   1
Unsalted butter
Banana   1
Brown sugar      1 tsp
Whipped cream  2 tbs

Method:

1. Slice the white bread. Add the beaten egg to half of the thick fresh cream and whisk to combine.

2. Dip each slice of bread into the mixture and shallow fry in coconut oil over medium heat to achieve golden brown colour and crispy texture.

3. In a non-stick pan over a medium heat, combine the dark brown sugar, unsalted butter and stir it well so that the sugar is dissolved with butter. Add the rest of the fresh cream and stir again. Reduce it to half.

READ: Four Fabulous Festive Recipes from ITC

4. Preheat the oven. Peel and cut the banana in slices and arrange on a baking tray and spread some brown sugar on the slices and roast them to get a nice caramelised flavour and firm texture.

5. On crispy bread, spread the generous amount of caramel sauce on it and top it further with caramelised bananas.

Note: You can further add a nice dollop of fresh whip cream on top with some fresh pomegranate.

READ: Festival Special Recipes from The Lodhi's Kitchen