If you have a sweet tooth, but don't eat eggs, you can still have your cake and eat it too because most pastry shops have eggless options these days.
 
Though I am strictly non-vegetarian, I end up sharing a lot of eggless desserts with my Jain friends. One of my favourite destinations for dessert is Deliciae, the dessert cafe at Out of the Blue, a restaurant in Bandra, Mumbai. The outfit was set up by Bunty Mahajan, a homemaker who got started by whipping up cakes and more for her friends.

They have a wide range of eggless desserts. So, we asked Mahajan to recommend some eggless recipes for our vegetarian cake/pastry fans. Here are some recipes you can try at home.

• Post your Diwali recipes!

Fruit flan 

Serves: 4-6 

~Ingredients
 
For the base

4 slices of bread
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp Zero sweetener
1 tbsp crushed walnut 

For the filling

500 ml skimmed milk
3 tbsp skimmed milk powder
3 tbsp sweetener (Zero)
2 1/2 tbsp custard powder
1 tsp vanilla essence

For the topping

2 slices apple
2 halves peaches
4 or 5 litchis
1 kiwi
1 slice pineapple
Small bunch of grapes
2 tsp honey
A pinch of cinnamon powder

~Method

After slicing off the sides/crusts of the bread, put the base ingredients into a blender to make a crumb-like mix.

Press the crumbs at the bottom of the serving dish, except for a small portion, which you can keep aside for decoration.

Mix the custard powder in half a cup of cold milk and keep aside.

Mix the milk powder with the remaining milk and boil it. Then mix the custard milk in this and cook on low heat for about two minutes. Then add the Zero sweetener. Cool and add the essence.

Pour a little custard over the base, chill and pour the remaining custard. Use a shallow bowl, that is not too flat. 

Top with chopped fruit for decoration. Sprinkle the cinnamon powder and pour the honey, just before serving. 

Mocha Oreo Pie
 
Serves: 4-6 

~Ingredients

Base

2 bread slices
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp sweetener (Zero)
3-4 Oreos (cookies)

Filling 

200 gm low fat whipped cream
1 tsp coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp water to make a coffee concentrate

For crumbs

2 bread slices
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp Zero sweetener
3-4 Oreos (cookies)          

~Method

Blend all ingredients for the base in a blender and press at the bottom of the pie dish.

Spread a layer of coffee cream (mix the cream and coffee concentrate).

Sprinkle a layer of crumbs over this.

Smoothen the top. Chill. Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Peach passion tarts

Serves: 4-6 

~Ingredients

100 gm flour
50 gm low-fat margarine (cold)
2-3 tbsp water to bind
1 tbsp whipped cream
Chopped peaches/passion fruit/any other fruit

~Method

Cut the butter and rub into the flour with fingertips till mix looks like crumbs.  

Make the dough by binding with water and chill the dough for half an hour.

Make small balls and press into tart moulds. 

Bake in moderation over (350 degrees F) for 15 minutes till golden. 

Remove from the oven and cool.

Spoon in 1 tbsp cream (whipped) and then top with chopped peaches and passion fruit or you can use any other fruit.

Do you have any Diwali recipes you would like to share? Post your recipes!