‘Mithai’ with a haute twist

Express News Service

The tradition of exchanging sweets on Diwali has been a part of India since time immemorial. Sharing traditional desserts is a symbol of spreading happiness among friends and family during one of the most joyous times of the year. There is nothing sweeter than gifting your loved ones a box of traditional Indian sweets only to see their faces light up. 

While a number of people have shifted to giving international desserts such as macaroons, cookies, or even cheesecakes during the festive season, nothing can beat the taste of old-fashioned Indian mithais. Traditional sweets such as Motichoor Laddoos, Kaju Katlis, Ghevar, or Doda Barfis may remind you of your childhood. The changing times, though, have made us want to indulge in sweets that are not just unique in taste but also stand out. Fortunately for us, pastry chefs and culinary experts have changed these Indian mithais to give it a modern look. 

This festive season, we list a few handcrafted artisanal mithaiwalas (sweet shops) in Delhi-NCR who have an assortment of treats that are crafted by innovating classic Indian sweets. With attractive packaging and an array of unique flavours, these artisanal mithais are bound to add that much-needed sweetness to your festivities. 

Bringing back Indian heritage
Bikanervala’s mithai boutique in GK2, Saugaat goes beyond Indian mithais by pairing them with contemporary and international flavours. “We are inspired by tradition and moments that make festivals special to create masterpieces that capture the essence of celebration,” says Renuka Aggarwal, director of Saugaat. Their campaign ‘Festive at Home’ showcases the strong foundation of the culinary heritage of India. Their signature hamper ‘Mithai Daan’ is a nostalgic play on the tiered lunch box and the festive trunk, with customised packaging will elevate your gifting experience.

Western influences to Indian traditions
A joint venture by chefs Ashay Dhopatkar and Neha Lakhani, Arq Mithai & Indian Savouries, was launched out of their passion for the traditional art of making Indian mithais. “As chefs, we always wanted to create artisanal Indian mithais,” says Dhopatkar. Arq gives a Western spin to traditional recipes, thus making these sweets appealing to the younger generation. Handcrafted with organic ingredients and natural flavours, they aim to popularise Indian sweets. Apart from this, the ‘Arq Ensemble 2021’ they launched this year is an assortment of unique festive treats.

Rekindling the romance of classic Indian sweets
Founded in 2016, Khoya Mithai is one of the first few luxury mithai brands in India, that was launched with an aim to bring back the magic of Indian sweets. “We wanted to rekindle the romance of the stories, ingredients, processes, and the history of traditional Indian mithai,” says founder Sid Mathur. With their flagship store in The Chanakya Mall, Chanakyapuri, Khoya’s sweets are handcrafted using natural ingredients and without artificial preservatives. They also have a range of gift sets and hampers that offer a delightful spread of luxury artisanal mithais. This Diwali, along with their signature range of sweets, Khoya has also introduced a series of teas, such as the Masala Chai, the Kashmiri Kahwa, and the Paan Tea. 

A range of sweets in unconventional flavours
Based out of Neha Niwas’ home kitchen in Gurugram, Berfila offers an array of traditional handcrafted mithais in novel flavours—bubblegum, chocolate, popcorn caramel, and more. Founded in 2017, Berfila’s confectioneries present a unique and innovative take on Indian sweets. “I realised that the younger consumers of today wanted new flavours, premium presentations, and a lot more transparency in terms of ingredients. We try to achieve just that by offering a selection [of sweets] at the click of a button,” points out Niwas. With over 300 sweets to choose from, Berfila’s festive gifting hampers can be customised according to themes, colour palettes, as well as flavour choices by their customers.

A treasure trove of  familiar sweetness
Founded by Arshya Aggarwal and Subha Aggarwal from Gurugram, Nihira aims to create a broader platform for Indian sweets. “We maintain an aesthetic appeal and the familiar taste of Indian sweets while crafting mithais with a contemporary twist,” says Arshya. Their specialties include liquor laddoos—traditional mithais crafted using different types of alcohol, which packs a punch. Sticking to the true meaning of their name [Nihira means treasure in Hindi], they launched special edition, golden-coloured boxes for Diwali. Titled ‘Nihira Goes Gold’, these boxes will surely be treasured by your loved ones.