New Delhi: The auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, also known as Rakhi is around the corner and preparations in desi households is already in full swing. From mithais to colourful rakhis - markets are full of vibrant items. This time, we decided to share with you some delicious and easy-to-make at-home Raksha Bandhan special recipes. This year Rakhi will be celebrated on two days August 11 and 12 respectively, depending upon the Hindu calendar.

Try making these innovative, healthy and tempting recipes curated by Chef Manish Mehrotra which are ideal for festivities:

Badam Milk Mousse with Almond Biscotti recipe:

Ingredients:

For badam milk mousse

Almond flakes 45 gms
Almond milk 150 ml
White chocolate 425 gm
Bakery cream 400 ml
Egg yolk 5 no
Fine sugar 50 gm
Saffron ½ gm
Green cardamom powder ½ tsp
For biscotti
Unsalted butter 75 gms
Castor sugar 100 gms
Egg 1no
Refined flour 150 gm
Baking soda 1 gm
Baking powder 3 gm
Almond with skin 50 gm
Almond powder 25 gm
Zest of lemon 1 no

Method:

For badam milk mousse

• Roast almonds flakes in preheated oven at 180 degree celsius for 4 minutes or till golden in colour.
• Heat almond milk. add white chocolate and make ganache. add saffron threads and green
cardamom powder, mix it thoroughly.
• Whisk yolks and sugar till creamy consistency.
• Beat bakery cream to ribbon consistency.
• Fold the ganache in beaten yolk and then fold the beaten cream into it.
• Pour mousse in a cup and chill, till it sets.
• Garnish mousse with slivers of almonds and almond biscotti.

For biscotti

• Roughly chop almonds with skin.
• Lightly cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. add egg to bowl and again cream it.
• Add refined flour, baking soda, baking powder, lemon zest and almond powder to it mixture and mix it thoroughly
• Fold in roughly chopped almonds.
• Shape the mixture like a french loaf and bake it at 180 celsius for 20 minutes.
• Cool the loaf, cut it into thin slices and bake it at 150 celsius for 8 to 10 minutes or till crisp

Almond and Cherry Kulfi

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Fresh cherries, pitted 2 cups
Water ½ cup
Almond milk 4 cups
Condensed milk ½ cup
Heavy cream ½ cup
Sugar 1/2 cup
Almond meal ½ cup
Toasted almond flakes 1 tbsp

Method:

• Place cherries, water and ¼ cup sugar in a pan over low flame. cook, stirring 5-6, minutes till
the cherries soften and mixture thickens. allow to cool and set aside.
• In a pan, add almond milk and put it on a low flame. keep on stirring; do not let the almond
milk burn. the milk will start to thicken.
• Once it becomes half the volume add the almond meal, condensed milk and sugar and mix
them well. allow it cool slightly and stir in the heavy cream. strain the mixture.
• Add cooked cherry compote and mix well. allow the kulfi mixture to cool, pour it into kulfi
moulds or small bowls and freeze them.
• Demould the kulfi and serve it garnished with toasted almond flakes.

Almond Cinnamon Tart

Ingredients quantity

Almond flake 1 cup
Monaco biscuit 150 gm
Cinnamon powder 2 gm
Fine sugar 200 gm
Fresh cream 200 ml
Unsalted butter 60 gm

Method:

• Roast the almond flake in preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 4 minutes or till golden
in colour.
• For toffee sauce, caramelize sugar, add 40 gms of butter followed by cream and thoroughly
mix it
• For monaco crumble, crush biscuits and mix 20 gm of butter with it. spread this mixture in
6inch mould and bake at 160 degree Celsius for 10 min.
• In a bowl mix, roasted almond slivers and toffee sauce and pour this mix over biscuit
crumble in the mould.
• Bake the mix set in mould in a preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 15 min.
• Serve once done and demould the tart. serve with vanilla bean ice-cream.

Happy Raksha Bandhan to all!