5 no-bake desserts that are super easy to make with ingredients already in your kitchen

Have you found yourself this lockdown unable to order your favourite sweet treats, but still craving a good dessert? Making them home is a great option, but if you dread oven work because of how complicated it could be for a newbie, these recipes will save the day for you. 

Whether you like warm casseroles after a movie night with family, silken truffles to snack on while binge watching, or crusty fruit tarts on Sunday mornings—there is something below for all kinds of dessert lovers. Our favourite is the chilled popsicle that will see us through this season. Recipe courtesy chef Shruti Mehta from The Clearing House, Mumbai. 

Recipe: Apple crumble

Ingredients: 

• Apple filling

• Caramel sauce

• Almond crumble

Apple filling: 

• 12gm salted butter

• 2 green or pink apples, peeled and diced

• ¼ tsp cinnamon

• ⅛ tsp nutmeg

Caramel sauce: 

• 60gm caster sugar

• 60gm cooking cream

• A pinch of salt

Almond crumble: 

• 20gm almonds

• 20gm oats

• 60gm all-purpose flour

• A pinch of cinnamon

• 20gm brown sugar

• 20gm caster sugar

• 50gm salted butter, cold and diced

Method:

1. 1

   For the apple filling, in a saucepan, heat the butter, add the apples and spice powders.

2. 2

   Cook until the apples are slightly soft and the water released has been evaporated. Do not overcook. We want our apples to have a bite and not become mushy. Set aside in a small bowl.

3. 3

   For the caramel sauce, in a saucepan, make a dry caramel using the sugar. Warm the cream in a microwave bowl and set aside.

4. 4

   Once all the sugar has caramelised, slowly add the cream. It will tend to splutter and sizzle; continue stirring it on and off the heat making sure there are no lumps.

5. 5

   Once it settles, mix it on a low flame. Add salt and the cooked apples. Mix until all the apples are coated. Let it cool. Transfer to a glass dish or individual bowls.

6. 6

   For the almond crumble, put almonds in a food processor to get coarse crumbs with some chunky almond bits.

7. 7

   Mix this in a separate bowl with oats, flour, cinnamon, both sugars and cold butter.

8. 8

   Use your hands and mix until the mixture is sandy and the butter has been evenly distributed.

9. 9

   Take a deep pot/small kadai, put the crumble mixture and dry roast it stirring continuously until it gets two shades darker. You will smell the toasty aroma. Once done, immediately transfer to a tray or plate to cool down.

10. 10

    Portion out the caramel apples into bowls or one glass dish. Top with the crumble and serve slightly warm, ideally with vanilla ice cream

Recipe: Fresh mango custard tart 

Ingredients:

Tart crust: 

• 200gm digestive biscuits or Marie Biscuits

• 140gm salted butter, melted

Custard filling: 

• 250gm milk

• 1 tsp vanilla bean extract

• 60gm caster sugar

• 20gm cornflour

• 40gm egg yolk

• 13gm unsalted butter

• 150gm semi-whipped cream, chilled

• 2-3 fresh mangoes, peeled and sliced

Method:

1. 1

   For the tart crust, in a food processor, blend the biscuits into a fine powder.

2. 2

   In a pan, dry roast the biscuit mixture lightly until it gets one shade darker. Transfer to another cool bowl immediately (you can skip roasting the biscuit mixture as well).

3. 3

   Add the melted butter and mix. Press this mixture into a 7” tart shell or pie dish tightly making sure all the sides are even and there are no holes or loose parts of the crust. Chill until set.

4. 4

   For the custard filling, bring the milk and vanilla to boil in a pot.

5. 5

   Whisk sugar, cornflour and egg yolks in a separate bowl until smooth.

6. 6

   Once the milk comes to a boil, pour some into the yolk mixture stirring and transfer back into the pot whisking continuously. The mixture will thicken. Once it comes to a boil, take it off the heat and whisk in the butter. Make sure there are no lumps. Transfer it into a bowl or tray and cover with a cling wrap. Let it set for 2-3 hours.

7. 7

   Transfer the set custard to a bowl. Using a paddle attachment or electric hand beater, mix it to make it smooth. If you are doing this by hand, use a balloon whisk.

8. 8

   Semi-whip the chilled cream in a cold bowl to soft peaks.

9. 9

   Using a spatula, fold it into the custard mixture until smooth

10. 10

    Pour into the chilled tart/pie shell. Let it set for an hour.

11. 11

    Just before serving, decorate with fresh mangoes. Once the fruit is added, it is best to consume the tart immediately.

Recipe: Banana, yoghurt and coffee popsicle

Ingredients: 

• 200gm ripe banana

• ½ tsp coffee powder

• 150gm Greek yoghurt

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 40gm honey

Method:

• Blend everything in the mixer until smooth.

• Pour into popsicle moulds and freeze until firm. Serve chilled.

Recipe: Chocolate coconut pudding with roasted walnuts 

Ingredients: 

• 60gm dark chocolate

• 200ml coconut cream or coconut milk

• 10gm jaggery powder

• 1 tsp instant coffee powder

• 10gm cornflour

• 40ml milk

• 8-10 walnuts, lightly pan-roasted for garnish

Method:

1. 1

   Melt the chocolate in a microwave bowl stirring after every 15 seconds until smooth.

2. 2

   In a saucepan, bring to a boil the coconut milk, jaggery and coffee powder.

3. 3

   In another bowl, mix the cornflour  and milk until smooth.

4. 4

   Once the coconut milk reaches a boil, pour half into the cornflour mixture, whisking rigorously to avoid lumps. Transfer back into the saucepan. Bring this mixture to boil and take off the flame.

5. 5

   Whisk the melted chocolate into the coconut mixture.

6. 6

   Use a stick/hand blender to emulsify until smooth.

7. 7

   Pipe or pour into glasses or mini cups. Leave to set for 2-3 hours.

8. 8

   Dry roast your walnuts lightly in a pan and garnish just before serving. Best when chilled.

Recipe: Dark chocolate and orange truffles 

Ingredients: 

• ⅓ cup cooking cream

• 1 orange (for orange zest)

• 1 tbsp honey

• 130gm dark chocolate (55 per cent dark and above)

• 5gm unsalted butter

• Cocoa powder or desiccated coconut (coconut, lightly toasted) for coating

Method:

1. 1

   Warm the cream and take it off the flame. Infuse the orange zest until you achieve a strong flavour. Do not over infuse as it can become bitter. Strain out the cream.

2. 2

   Bring the infused cream and honey to boil in a saucepan.

3. 3

   Melt chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour cream over melted chocolate in two parts and whisk until smooth, add the unsalted butter.

4. 4

   Emulsify with a stick/hand blender until you get a shiny and smooth ganache. Set it in a bowl for 4-5 hours.

5. 5

   Use a mini scooper or spoon. Make small round balls and roll them in pure cocoa powder or lightly toasted desiccated coconut.

Also read:

5 nutritious milkshake recipes for any time of the day

5 easy-to-make vegan smoothie recipes to try during quarantine

4 recipes for making restaurant-like pasta at home