A gourmet glow-up for Diwali treats

Diwali might be the festival of lights, but one can’t deny that sweets are what make the it shine. This time, Kolkata’s Home chefs and culinary experts are stirring up something ultra gourmet which making it super healthy.

Here’s what you can expect to indulge in this season.Reviving a forgotten mishtiShakyasingha Chakraborty, co-founder of Spiegel, is reviving Bengal’s forgotten sweet. Tracking it down turned into a mini expedition; he eventually found the last remaining family near Mograhat who still makes it. “It’s a celebration of Bengal’s rich heritage via a modern lens,” he says. His creation — Mollar Chawk-er doi with biski — reimagines a mythical mishti doi once mentioned in Bengali literature.

Served with biski, a near-lost Barishal sweet of rice and jaggery.

Fusion with a Bengali twistChef Prishit Saha, founder of Marinate Supper Club, brings Paris to the plate with his Crêpe Royal - a golden oat-based crêpe filled with chhena, nuts, and jaggery, finished with a saffron-cardamom drizzle. “Swap refined sugar for jaggery, maida for oats, and use fresh chhena instead of processed cheese – indulgence can be wholesome too,” he said.

Meanwhile, chef Rohitashwa Turjo adds a Bengali perspective: “Millet sweets, coconut milk desserts, and jaggery-based mithai are becoming common.

Fusion sweets are entering our homes & that’s not a bad thing.”

Indulgence meets intentionThis Diwali, the focus is on mindful indulgence. “My most unique offerings this year are almond-orange cake topped with coconut cream and a flourless vegan chocolate cake. Even truffles are sugar and dairy-free” says Ritika Agarwal, founder of The Mint Enfold.

With flavours like white chocolate–macadamia, rose pistachio, and almond orange, Agarwal notes that consumers now prefer desserts that blend indulgence with nourishment.

Suchi Dutta, owner of 21B – A Dessert Co, adds, “People are looking for gourmet desserts with an Indian twist. Our Diwali menu includes kunafa chocolate truffles and pistachio bonbons.”

Ways to make your favourite mithai guilt-free

Chef Preetanjali Pasari of Butterfingers says using millets, jaggery, and nuts help make desserts rich but also guilt-free for Diwali

Clients are curious about superfoods and global flavours with a local twist. They are seeking delish treats that have clean ingredients – Ritika Agarwal

I’m reviving my mom’s age-old recipes with a twist to balance nostalgia, nourishment, and seasonal local produce– Abhilasha Sethia, food consultant, author and recipe curatorThere’s been a huge shift in the way people gift and consume desserts during Diwali. Ingredients like bajra, jowar, jaggery, honey, pistachio, dates, walnuts snd cranberries have seen a huge surge