Desi Bakes: Bringing the best of Indian flavors to Western-style desserts
Desi Bakes by Hetal Vasavada, Hardie Grant Books, RRP $59.99. 📷 Hetal Vasavada
By Hetal Vasavda
If you've ever wondered what happens when classic Indian flavours meet sweets and bakes, then Hetal Vasavda’s Desi Bakes is your gateway to the world of desi-inspired baking. ‘Desi’ is a term used to describe the people and cultures of the subcontinent, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It comes from the Sanskrit word "desh," meaning "country" or "homeland." In food, "desi" refers to flavours, ingredients, and cooking styles characteristic of South Asian cuisine, often with a nostalgic, home-cooked feel. This book isn't just another collection of recipes; it's a joyful smoosh of cultures, and we're here for it!
Vasavda, a former MasterChef contestant, knows her stuff—what you get is a book that’s creative, inspiring, and most importantly, filled with doable recipes. Some are a little more technical, but generally, these are sweets designed for the keen home cook.
Pushing boundaries without making things overly complicated, this collection features treats like Saffron Madeleines, Chai-Spiced Banana Bread, Pistachio-Lemon Cake with Cardamom Cream, and even Masala Cheddar Biscuits. The Kadak Chai Panna Cotta is a lovely pale caramel colour, and the creaminess leaps off the page—you just want to dive in. Tiramisu is flavoured with strawberry and jasmine instead of the expected coffee, and a classic Bakewell tart uses pear and cardamom, with a suggestion to substitute pistachio flour for almond. The 85 recipes are a mix of homey (Mango Murabba Cake and Shahi Tukda Bread Pudding, for example) and more involved projects for when you feel like spending quality time with your oven. Whether you’ve got an hour or a whole Sunday to devote to baking, Desi Bakes has you covered.
Many of the cookies, pastries, and cakes are finished with bright, detailed glazes and decorations—the Phulkari-Os, for example, are Oreo-style cookies that Vasavda decorates to look like embroidered Punjabi textiles. The Madras Print Checkerboard Cookies, with pink, orange, and yellow dough baked in a fine checkerboard pattern to mimic traditional plaid print, are stunningly pretty and intricate.
Each recipe is clearly laid out, with nuggets of insight into how and why certain flavours work together. Plus, our favourite part—Vasavda offers suggestions for making recipes eggless (great for vegans) or simplifying some of the finishes. Those Phulkari-Os cookies? “You can skip the icing altogether,” she says, music to the ears of anyone feeling overwhelmed by the thought of piping a straight line. Whether you’re tackling the Orange Cardamom Cake or experimenting with the Caramelised Onion and Fennel Seed Rolls, you’ll feel empowered to mix things up if you want to.
Some recipes call for ingredients that might not be in every kitchen, like fenugreek seeds, black salt (kala namak), or amchur (dried mango powder). Most of these can be found in your local Indian grocery store, and Vasavda often suggests substitutes if you’re in a pinch.
This book invites you to rethink how you bake, to play with flavour, and to create something both familiar and brand new at the same time. It’s a must-have for anyone tired of the same old muffins and cookies, looking to bring a bit of spice, warmth, and excitement into their kitchen. As it’s an American production, it’s best to use digital scales for this baking, as the American cup is a different capacity from our standard 250ml. Plus, as we say every time we talk about a baking cookbook, you should be measuring baking ingredients by weight anyway; it’s more accurate than cup measures.