Makai Badam Halwa (Corn and Almond Pudding) - Chef Sumant Sharma
The culinary experience is heightened with elegant touches like winter pink guava cream, Texan black corn Cremieux, and a centered candied almond praline.
Translated as corn
and almond pudding, It embodies the warmth of winter desserts in India. Drawing
inspiration from nostalgic Anganwadi Kendra (courtyard shelter) meals (makai
halwa), this blend of corn and almond not only satisfies childhood cravings but
also packs high nutritional value. The culinary experience is heightened with
elegant touches like winter pink guava cream, Texan black corn Cremieux, and a
centered candied almond praline. Sweetened paste of mamra almond from Kashmir
to enhance the beauty of dessert in form of golden flower on top to add a
refreshing twist, a hint of lemon jel completes this delightful creation.
Ingredients:
For Makai Badam Halwa
- Peeled Whole Almonds - 200 gm
- Whole Milk - 300 gm
- Caster Sugar - 60 gm
- Nestle Condensed Milk - 50 gm
- Clarified Butter (Ghee) - 150
gm
- Corn Chocolate (Republica del Cacao
33% white chocolate with toasted corn) - 60 gm
- Saffron - 10 threads
For Feuilletine Crunch
- Feuilletine Crunch - 100 gm
- 64% Guayaquil Extra Bitter Chocolate
- 100 gm
For Guava Creme
- Guava Purée - 600 gm
- Caster Sugar - 75 gm
- White Chocolate (Callebaut W2,
28%) - 100 gm
- Gold Gelatin Sheets (200 bloom)-
7 Nos.
- Soft Peak Whipped Cream - 250 gm
For Cold Set Guava Pulp
- Pink Guava Purée - 250 gm
- Caster Sugar - 50 gm
- Gold Gelatin Sheets (200 bloom)
- 2.5 Nos.
For White Chocolate Glaze
- Water - 106 gm
- Caster Sugar - 213 gm
- Glucose - 213 gm
- Callebaut White Chocolate - 213
gm
- Condensed Milk - 142 gm
- Gold Gelatin Sheets (200 bloom)
- 22 gm
- Water - 110 gm
- Yellow Chocolate-Soluble Powder
Color - 2 gm
For Corn Mousse
- Whole Milk - 250 gm
- Caster Sugar - 75 gm
- Corn Chocolate (Republica del Cacao
33% white chocolate with toasted corn) - 100 gm
- Whipped Cream (Soft Peak) - 250
gm
- Gelatin Sheets (200 bloom) - 4 Nos.
- Cooked Popcorn - 50 gm
For Almond Praline
- Caster Sugar - 150 gm
- Water - 40 gm
- Toasted Whole Almonds - 400 gm
- Butter - 10 gm
- Canola Oil - 70 gm
For Almond Flower
- Almond Paste - 50 gm
- Fondant - 50 gm
Instructions:
For Makai Badam Halwa
1. Soak the almonds in milk
overnight, then grind them into a fine paste.
2. Heat clarified butter in a
thick-bottomed pan and add the almond paste. Cook until it turns brown.
3. Add the condensed milk and
sugar to the mixture, then stir in the corn chocolate.
4. Once the halwa has cooked
through, allow it to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator or
freezer.
For Feuilletine Crunch
1. Melt the chocolate to 45°C,
then fold in the feuilletine crunch.
2. Roll the mixture between two
parchment papers to a thickness of 2 mm and cut into 2-inch diameter circles.
For
Guava Creme
1. Hydrate the gelatin in cold
water for 10 minutes, then reserve it with the white chocolate.
2. Boil the guava purée with
sugar and pour it over the white chocolate and gelatin. Emulsify with a hand
blender until smooth.
3. Fold the whipped cream into
the guava mixture and set aside.
For Cold Set Guava Pulp
1. Hydrate the gelatin in cold
water for 10 minutes.
2. Boil the guava purée with
sugar, add the hydrated gelatin, and mix well.
3. Pour into a lined pan to a
thickness of 1 cm, freeze for 4 hours, and cut into 2-inch diameter circles.
For White Chocolate Glaze
1. Hydrate the gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes and reserve it with the white chocolate.
2. Boil water, sugar, and glucose until it reaches 105°C, then pour it over the white chocolate and gelatin. Stir in the condensed .
3. Divide the mixture into two
parts, emulsify with a hand blender, and add yellow and black fat-soluble
colors.
For Corn Mousse
1. Boil the milk with sugar and
infuse with popcorn overnight.
2. Strain the milk, then reboil.
3. Hydrate the gelatin and mix it
into the corn chocolate. Pour the hot milk over the mixture and emulsify.
4. Fold in whipped cream and fill
into 1.5-inch semi-sphere molds.
For Almond Praline
1. Heat sugar and water until
golden brown, then pour onto a silicone mat to cool.
2. Grind the caramelized sugar,
almonds, butter, and oil into a fine paste.
For Almond Flower
1. Mix almond paste and fondant,
then roll into a 2 mm thick sheet.
2. Cut flower shapes with a
cutter and dry in a dehydrator for 2 hours.
For Assembling
1. Fill guava crème into molds
and insert cold-set guava pulp discs. Freeze overnight and demold. Glaze with
yellow glaze.
2. Fill corn mousse into
semi-sphere molds (1-inch diameter), pipe almond praline into the mousse,
level, and freeze. Demold and glaze with black glaze.
3. Warm 45 g of halwa and fill
into the cavity of a plate. Place a feuilletine crunch disc on top, followed by
guava crème and corn mousse. Top with the almond flower.
4. Garnish with mustard greens and serve.