8 Delicious & Unique Dessert (and Savory Snack) Ideas for Your Indian Bridal Shower

Bridal showers are traditionally hosted by a close family member or friend of the bride.They typically throw a small party with lots of delicious food and drinks and games for the soon-to-be-married bride (or sometimes even the couple). Bridal showers usually last about three hours and are a fun way for the bride-to-be (and groom-to-be) to relax before her big day. But throwing a bridal shower can be quite the challenge. Where do you start? What should you do to create a memorable experience for the guests? How can you ensure that everyone has fun and enjoys themselves?  

Desserts are key to a fun bridal shower, and fortunately, The Desi Bride has curated some gourmet Indian fusion recipes from chefs and brands. This list includes options to throw a wildly successful bridal shower and wow your guests! 

 

Simply Mithai - Barfi Macarons and Mithai Bonbons

   

Made out of the finest ingredients and packed with lots of love, the incredible collection from Simply Mithai is a must-have at your desi bridal shower! Based in Chicago, the brand is a connoisseur in fusion delicacies which are an ode to their mixed heritage of India and America. Bring in their treats such as Barfi Macarons and Mithai Bonbons, an Indian tweak to the popular French classic desserts, for a trip down memory lane. Made from scratch with completely organic ingredients, the Burfi Macarons are available in delicious flavors such as pumpkin pie and butter pecan. Mithai Bonbon, on the other hand, can be customized according to your tastes, whether you want to have the April Bonbons, that come with the sweetness of Rooh-Afza, or the Eid Bonbons with the goodness of dark chocolate and the nostalgic flavor of chai.

 

Sinful Temptations - Rasmalai Truffles

Sinful Temptations is the brainchild of Shreena Shah, a mom-preneur who has a passion for baking and exploring new lip-smacking sweet treats. Sinful Temptations is where she, along with her team, creates fusion desserts, giving new Indian twists to western classic dishes. Rasmalai Truffle, is a perfect treat from this brand, which gives a new identity to Rasmalai, a rich, creamy mithai made with Indian cottage cheese and flavored with saffron. Be sure to serve your guests this delicacy that will melt in their mouths with the richness of dry fruits and sweetened milk. 

 

Laumière Gourmet Fruits - Le Cadeau Parfait Collection 

Have you ever tried Parfait in the beautiful lanes of France? Bringing this French delight, which is made up of frozen custard and a generous amount of eggs, sugar, cream and fruits, this lovely collection of Parfait by Laumière Gourmet Fruits is a necessity for the dessert table at your Indian bridal shower. Brimming with luxury with each bite, it comes in incredible, elegant shades of burgundy, orange, and green and is rich with ingredients such as dried dates, dried figs, apricots, and more. This collection contains mouth-watering combinations such as flavorful cranberries with pistachio base as well as decadent orange peels with dates. 

 

Milk & Cardamom - Gulab Jamun Bundt Cake

A Marketing Manager-turned-blogger, and one of the contestants in the popular cooking reality show MasterChef season 6, Hetal is a Gujarati Indian descent, based in San Francisco, California. She has been all about food since her stint in MasterChef and her recipes have been featured in The Washington Post, Delish, Buzzfeed, and more. She has also released her cookbook Milk & Cardamom as well as an online bakery with the same name. One of her popular desserts is the Gulab Jamun Bundt Cake, giving an American twist to the iconic Indian dessert. Gulab Jamun, which takes a lot of years to master the technique, is reborn and this easy-to-make version has all the richness of milk and cardamom, used to make the cake and is topped with the delicious saffron syrup.

 

Love Laugh Mirch - Phirni Brûlée

A trip to your grandma’s house back in India is a great excuse to try some Phirni. If you have, you would know that it is a classic Indian pudding made with rice, milk, nuts, sugar, and saffron or rose water. This delicacy, although made whenever the craving arises, is specifically saved for special celebrations like Diwali and Karwa Chauth, and the secret behind the sweetness of Phirni lies in cooking it slowly. Brûlée, on the other hand, is a French delicacy and the rich, creamy pudding-like custard is made with vanilla, heavy cream, eggs, and more. The highlight of the Brûlée is the torching of sprinkled sugar into caramel. Bringing the two delicacies together, Nisha, the creator of Love, Laugh, Mirch has brought Phirni Brûlée, a dessert that will be a huge hit with your guests at your bridal shower. To make this dessert, here’s the full recipe for you, courtesy of Nisha, aka the author of Love, Laugh, Mirch for whom cooking is a significant part of her life. Whether sneaking into the kitchen to see her grandmother cook, or making Rajma for her daughter, Nisha has had a strong connection with food, and it is cooking that makes her feel close to her family and her roots.

 

 

 

Zheelicious - Falooda Cake Truffles

Zheel Patel is the face behind Zheelicious. A chef based in New Jersey, Zheel finds cooking to be therapeutic and wants to pass her recipes to her kids one day, the same way she learned cooking. Cooking fusion recipes is her forte and she shares her delicious recipes with the world through her blog, Zheelicious.

Falooda is one of our guilty pleasures whenever we are in the chaotic streets of India. Turn this icy, creamy dessert into cake bites, and you are the next favorite person of your sweet-toothed friends! Easy to make and incredibly satisfying, try making Falooda Cake Truffles to include on your bridal shower treat table. Let’s dive into this recipe by Zheelicious. 

 

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Makes: 35 Cake Truffles

 

Ingredients:

• 1 box white cake mix 
• 2 tbsp rose syrup 
• 2 tsp rose water 
• 1/3 cup room temp cream cheese 
• 1 tbsp Tukmaria seeds (basil seeds) soaked in ¼ cup of water (add more water if needed) 
• 2 12 oz.  bags of white candy melts (vanilla flavored)

 

Directions:

• Take the cake mix in a bowl, add 2 tbsp of rose syrup along with 1 tsp of rose water and bake the cake according to package directions.
• Once the cake is almost cooled add in ⅓ cup of cream cheese, 1 tsp of rose water, and the soaked tukmaria (they should have doubled in size after soaking). 
• Make sure to have everything mixed in properly.
• Make 1 tbsp balls out of the falooda cake mix and freeze the balls for 60 minutes. 
• Melt the candy melts in the microwave for about a minute then stir, and microwave for another 30 seconds (might take longer or shorter depending on how powerful your microwave is).
• Dip each truffle with the help of a fork into the white chocolate, tap to remove the excess then place onto a parchment paper.
• Decorate with colored sugar, rose petals, sprinkles (make sure to do this right after coating them or it won’t stick). Reheat the candy if it hardens. 
• Allow the Truffles to set, you can put them in the fridge for 10- 15 minutes if you like.

 

Additional Tips and Tricks

Mascarpone cheese or vanilla frosting are great alternatives if you don't have cream cheese. Also, if basil seeds are not available, you can leave them out entirely. Chia seeds also work if you have them. For the candy melts, Michael's is used here but you can also try Ghirardelli Melting Wafers. The truffles can stay for up to 2-3 days in advance: plenty of time to prepare other aspects of your bridal shower! For the cake mix, you use Duncan Hines brand along with the rose water from Swad and rose syrup by Dabur. If you want to go for an eggless option, you can go for 1⁄4 cup of plain yogurt for every single egg.

 

Thandai Tart with Malai Ice Cream 

Bridal shower is a great excuse for you to indulge in the refreshing taste of Thandai. Although a drink usually saved for festivals like Holi, you can savor the taste by making Thandai Tarts using Thandai-flavored ice cream from Malai, a brand known for its wide range of South Asian-flavored ice creams, for yourself (and your guests, of course!). Malai is a Brooklyn-based ice cream that draws inspiration from the flavors of India. Pooja Bavishi, the founder and CEO of the company, spent her childhood experimenting with the aromas and spices of India. She spent a lot of time cooking and baking in the kitchen, always learning the secrets behind the different dishes from her elders, and so, launching Malai was only a matter of time. 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 package chocolate wafer cookies
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 package chocolate wafer cookies
• 2 pints Malai Thandai ice cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp granulated cane sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp rose water 
• Rose petals for garnish 

 

Directions For Crust:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Crush chocolate wafers finely. You can use a food processor also.
• Pulse in the melted butter and salt until it comes together.
• In a 9-inch pie tart pan with a detachable bottom, press uniformly. 
• Bake for 12 minutes. 
• Allow to cool fully before serving.

 

Directions for Pie

Soften the ice cream until it's easy for you to scoop. It can take up to 15 minutes at room temperature. Once softened, spread the ice cream on the cooled pie crust (use a butter knife or an offset spatula) in an even layer. Freeze until ice cream is solidified which may take up to 3 hours. In the meantime, prepare the whipped cream by beating heavy cream, sugar, salt, and rose water using an electric beater until stiff peaks form. Layer the whipped cream on the solidified ice cream and sprinkle rose water for garnish. Enjoy!

 

The Chutney Life - Masala Corn Toast

While this one is savory, we also like having a bit of salt to balance out all of the sweet! The Chutney Life is an Indian recipe blog started by Palak Patel, who grew up in an Indian household on the east coast. Her dishes are based on her mother's cuisine, but she adds her own touches to them as she explores her passion for food. If Indian fusion recipes are among your favorites, browse through her recipes and you are sure to pick up a trick or two. Be it Mexican papdi chaat, tandoori vegetarian quesadillas, samosa chaat pizza, masala corn toast, or tandoori chicken wings, her delectable recipes will be devoured in no time. Here, we talk about Masala Corn Toast which are spicy, cheesy and incredibly delicious!

 

• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 6 mins
• Total: 16 mins
• Makes: 6-8 toasts

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper
• 1 cup corn 
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp finely minced onion
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• serrano chilis or jalapenos, finely sliced (optional based on spice level)
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese
• Butter
• Sourdough Bread or bread of your choice 

 

Instructions

Low broil the oven. In the meantime, butter up the sliced bread and place them in the oven on a baking sheet or a baking rack. Broil the bread on low for 2-3 minutes until just slightly toasted. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set it aside. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix: bell peppers, corn, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, cheese, all dry spices, and a touch of salt. You can leave the chilis as a garnish or incorporate them into the corn mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Fill each toast with the corn mixture. You have free rein to add as much or as little as you choose. If you want extra cheese, you can top the toasts with more cheese before putting them back in the oven.

Set a time limit for 3 minutes and place the toasts back in the oven on low broil. Remove the toasts once the cheese melts and is slightly golden in spots. 

This appetizer is best served hot so you can prep the ingredients ahead and broil them when the guests are about to arrive. Bring out your best chutneys and hot sauces to serve these corn toasts!

 

Conclusion

Dessert plays a big part in any Indian celebratory event, and the bridal shower is no exception. These eight desserts (and savory snacks) are fairly easy to make (or buy!), easy to stage, and will definitely impress your friends and family. A bridal shower is a special event, so it's only appropriate to create a menu that's equally special. 

 

The Desi Bride is a one-stop platform for all things Desi weddings. Browse through our website for wedding planning tips and tricks, wedding vendors, and a wedding calculator!

 

Resources

Estimate How Much Your Dream Indian Wedding Will Cost: Wedding Calculator

How To Plan A Luxury Indian Wedding In Under 90 Days

Unique Resort Venues To Host Your Indian Dream Wedding In Texas

Indian Wedding Decor 101: The Ultimate Guide To Indian Wedding Decor

Wedding Photography 101: The Ultimate Guide For Finding Your Luxury Indian Wedding Photographer

Everything You Need to Know About Music For An Indian Wedding

 

Cover Photo Credit: Brides.com