Sharing my collection of five quick and tasty sweets recipes for diwali- almond halwa, coconut laddoo, paneer kheer, instant peda and palkova.
My collection of 25 diwali sweets here
My collection of 7 special sweets for festivals, watch the video here
Diwali or Deepavali, the festival of lights is one of the most popular festivals celebrated in India. It symbolizes the spiritual of “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance” (from wiki)
Sweets or mithai is a part of any celebration and when it comes to Diwali, sweets play a huge part. Different varieties of sweets and snacks are made and distributed among friends and family.
As much as I love the traditional way of making mithai for Diwali, I also truly appreciate the quick sweets we can make in this busy life.
The five recipes I am sharing today can be easily done under 15 minutes. Whether you are sharing with friends and family or just for yourself, these sweet recipes will surely add to your festive spirit. The best part is you dont have to spend hours making them.
All these recipes can be made in advance, so say good bye to the long hours in the kitchen.
If you are looking for more recipes, check my collection of 25 diwali sweets recipes .
Some of my popular Indian Sweets from the blog
Rava Laddu
Puran Poli
Suji Halwa (in pressure cooker)
Light up your homes, spread the love, eat sweets and bring in the sparkling happiness and joy around you!
Wishing you and your family a Very Happy Diwali!
Video of the 5 Diwali Sweets Recipes
https://youtu.be/vqzEiRY0Zz8
Diwali Sweets – Almond Halwa Recipe
Almond halwa is a rich and very tasty halwa recipe from South India. Its made with blanched almonds, milk and sugar. Its one of the best halwas you will ever taste. Make this special divine dessert for Diwali, Navratri, Ganesha chaturthi or any occasion.
Almond halwa also called badam halwa takes time for preparation, but the effort is totally worth. But if you are short of time and but still looking for a tasty sweet this Instant almond halwa is the answer.
Today I am sharing the recipe of almond halwa which takes barely ten minutes to make. I use the store bought blanched almond powder in the recipe. It tastes as good as the traditional version of making the badam halwa. Given that its made just in ten minutes, is a bonus.
Need more recipes with almonds, try myAlmond Burfi recipe.
Almond Halwa Recipe
Ingredients to make Almond Halwa
- 1 cup blanched almond powder / badam powder ( I used store bought)
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sugar + 1 tbsp
- 4 teaspoons of ghee
- ¼ tea spoon cardamom powder
- few saffron strands
How to make Almond Halwa
- In a pan add the almond powder, milk and sugar.
- Mix it with a spatula.
- Initially the mixture will be crumbly, but as the it heats through the sugar melts and becomes runny.
- Continuously stir the mixture and scrape the sides.
- Cook until the almond mixture starts to thicken and leave the pan.
- Add few saffron strands. I wanted to retain the pale color so added the saffron with out soaking in milk.
- If you prefer a pale yellow color almond halwa, soak the saffron in 1 tbsp of warm milk and add it.
- Now add 2 teaspoons of ghee and cardamom powder.
- Cook for a minute until the ghee is absorbed by the halwa mixture.
- Now add another two teaspoons of ghee and mix well until the ghee is absorbed.
- By now the halwa must be leaving the sides of the pan.
- Turn off the heat.
- Serve the badam halwa warm or at room temperature.
- Badam halwa stays good for 2 to 3 days at room temperature and up to a week in the refrigerator.
- You can also wrap them individually in a parchment paper and store in the freezer for few months. Remove the halwa at least an hour or two before eating.
Diwali Sweets – Instant Coconut Ladoo
coconut ladoo is a quick and easy Indian sweet made in 10 minutes. the two main ingredients which go into making this laddu is desiccated coconut (dry coconut) and sweetened condensed milk. condensed milk is popularly called milk maid over the Indian sub continent.The laddu tastes great with just these two ingredients. I have added crushed cardamom and pistachio for nice aroma and crunch.
Looking for more ladoo recipes with condensed milk, try my rava laddu with condensed milk
Instant Coconut Ladoo Recipe
Ingredients for Instant Coconut Ladoo
- desiccated coconut / dry coconut – 2 cups (175 gms) + ¼ cup for rolling
- sweetened condensed milk ( milk maid) – ¾ cup ( 220 gms)
- cardamom pods – 2 (powdered)
- Few pistachios for garnish
How to make Instant Coconut Ladoo
- In a pan, add the condensed milk and desiccated coconut.
- Mix well and cook on low flame for 4-5 minutes.
- The mixture should get slightly thick and come together.
- Check for the sweetness and adjust.
- Add the crushed cardamom.
- Mix well and turn off the stove.
- Slightly cool the mixture and make round balls. You should get about 11-12 ladoos.
- Roll the ladoo with desiccated coconut and garnish with a pistachio.
Diwali Sweets – Paneer Kheer
Paneer Kheer is a tasty Kheer from north India. Kheer or payasam is a milk based sweets made with milk, paneer, sugar and nuts.
For best tasting Kheer, use fresh paneer. If using store bought, grate the paneer and use in the recipe.
Paneer Kheer is one of the easiest recipes made in 15 minutes. Its traditionally made during diwali, navratri, dussehra and holi. It’s such a easy recipe that can be made anytime of the year.
Paneer kheer reminds me of basundi, which is also made with milk and sugar.
Another popular Kheer recipe is the Rice Kheer or chawal ki Kheer. Here is another easy version of rice kheer made in the instant pot.
Paneer Kheer Recipe
Ingredients to make Paneer Kheer
- 3 cups full fat milk
- ½ cup crumbled paneer
- 4 – 6 tbsps of sugar, adjust according to your preference
- ¼ cup crushed almonds, or nuts of your choice
- Sweetend condensed milk – 2 tbsps (optional, but makes the kheer very tasty)
- ½ tea spoon cardamom powder
- few saffron strands
- ½ tea spoon rose water
How to make Paneer Kheer recipe-
- Heat the milk in a wide pan or kadai.
- Bring the milk to boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and boil the milk for about seven minutes.
- Keep stirring the milk, to avoid burning. The smell of burnt milk is bad and will ruin the Kheer taste.
- You will see that the milk has slightly reduced in volume.
- Add the sugar, condensed milk (if using) and boil for two to three minutes. Check for sweetness and adjust.
- Now add the crushed almonds, cardamom powder and saffron.
- Boil for two minutes.
- Crumbled paneer goes in next.
- Mix well and Boil the Kheer for three minutes. Not more than that.
- Finally add the rose water and turn off the heat.
- let the Kheer cool completely and chil it in the refrigerator.
- Paneer ki Kheer thickens further on cooling.
- Serve the paneer Kheer topped with few more crushed nuts.
Few tips on making paneer kheer-
Use whole milk or full fat milk for a creamy paneer Kheer.
Condensed milk or milk maid can also be used in the recipe. Skip the sugar if using the condensed milk.
You can also do a combination of sugar and condensed milk in the recipe.
You can use nuts like almonds, cashew or pista in the Kheer.
Kheer thickens further after cooling, if so add little more milk.
Diwali Sweets – Palkova
Palkova recipe – quick and easy palkova made with two ingredients and done in 10 minutes. Can be made both in stove top and microwave. Perfect mithai to make when you are craving for something sweet or for any occasion or make it for festivals like Diwali, holi or navratri.
Condensed milk and plain yogurt are the only two ingredients needed to make the palkova. Plain yogurt is used in the recipe, not the flavored ones. If possible, use homemade yogurt.
10 minute Palkova recipe in the stove top-
Ingredients to make 10 minute Palkova
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tea spoons of plain yogurt ( heaping tea spoons)
- 1 tea spoon of ghee (clarified butter)
How to make palkova recipe
- Pour the condensed milk in a pan, preferably a non stick pan.
- Warm the condensed milk for a minute.
- Add the plain yogurt and mix well.
- After a minute, you will see that the mixture starts to curdle.
- Keep mixing and cook till you see thick curdles. (If the mixture is not thickening enough, add another tea spoon of yogurt. That should work.)
- The mixture should start leaving the sides of the pan.
- Add the ghee and cook for a minute.
- Turn off the stove.
- Do not over cook the palkova. Remove when it is still slightly runny.
- Palkova thickens further on cooling.
- Serve as is or garnished with almonds or pistachio.
Easy Palkova recipe in Microwave-
In a large microwave safe bowl add the sweetened condensed milk and yogurt. Mix well.
Microwave for two minute. The content will rise, so use a large bowl to avoid spilling.
Remove and mix well.
Place it back in the microwave for another minute. You will start seeing the curdles,and bubbles form in the middle.
Scrape the sides and stir well. Microwave for 30 seconds.
The milk should evaporate and you will see grainy texture.
If you dont get the desired consistency microwave for another 30 seconds. Repeat until you get the right texture.
Add a tea spoon of ghee to the palkova and mix well.
Palkova will thicken once it cools. So, do not over cook it.
Diwali Sweets – Instant Peda recipe
Instant peda recipe– instant peda is the quick version of the popular milk peda. The instant peda recipe has just three ingredients and it made in the microwave under four minutes. the three ingredients we use for making the peda are butter, instant dry milk powder and condensed milk .In addition to the above three ingredients, you can also add some cardamom for nice aroma and pinch of saffron for pale yellow color.
I have one more easy microwave Indian sweet for all the chocolate lovers, its the Chocolate burfi. These burfis are fun and easy recipe to make with kids.
Instant Peda recipe–
Ingredients to make Instant Peda
- Unsalted butter- ½ cup ( 110 grams)
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – 1.75 cups ( 14 oz can)
- Instant non fat dry milk powder- 2 cups
- Few Pistachio for garnish
- Cardamom powder (optional)
How to make InstantPeda
- Melt the butter in the microwave.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and milk powder to the melted butter. Mix well.
- Microwave for total of three minutes.
- Remove after every minute and mix well.
- Let cool for five minutes.
- Apply some ghee on your palms, take a small portion of the mixture and make a ball. Flatten the ball and place a pistachio at the center.
- Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
- Store the peda’s in the refrigerator. Stays fresh up to a week.
Few more super quick sweet recipes you may like
Easy Kalakand Recipe
Instant Pot Rice Kheer
