Desserts have a way of making our world go round. Whether you have a sweet tooth or not, there are moments when all you want is something sweet. Chef Gary Mehigan, known for his love for Indian cuisine, has whipped up a classic caramel custard in his kitchen. But there was a desi twist to this one.
The hero ingredient was Kolhapuri jaggery, all the way from Maharashtra. The chef not only spoke about the jaggery, but also gave viewers a glimpse into how he prepared the dessert. This one might just leave you reaching for something sweet. Holding a plate of jaggery, Gary said, “I love cooking with beautiful ingredients, and this is Kolhapur jaggery from Maharashtra.”
Take a look at the video:
He then explained that the distinct golden-yellow ingredient produced in Maharashtra had received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. “Which means it can't be made anywhere else on the planet,” he clarified.
He then mentioned that he was looking forward to preparing a Spanish flan, or crème caramel, “depending upon how you look at it. One of my favourite desserts anyway. Anything with caramel is my favourite dessert, but with jaggery it's going to take it to another level,” he said.
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The video then moved to Gary preparing the dessert in his kitchen. He quickly gave us a sneak peek into his cooking diaries.
Once the dessert was ready, Gary said, “I am very happy indeed, and as I say, I love all things caramel. Let's see how the Kolhapur jaggery tastes.” After taking a bite, he continued, “It tastes absolutely delicious. Silky, smooth and soft custard.”
In the caption, he mentioned, “Sweet, earthy, and way more interesting than just 'sugar.' Made from fresh sugarcane juice in the Kolhapur region of Maharashtra, Kolhapuri Jaggery gets its characteristic colour, rich sweetness, and deep flavour through traditional processing methods. It's been a staple in local kitchens for generations, showing up in sweets, drinks, savoury recipes, and everyday food.”
According to him, what makes it special is that it's not just an ingredient — it carries the flavour of the region and the know-how of the people who make it. Recognised with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag under Bharat GI, Kolhapuri Jaggery puts a distinctly local spin on one of India's oldest sweeteners. I love Kolhapur jaggery in this dessert, ordinary sugar just doesn't cut it anymore, the depth of flavour is next level, give it a try.
The chef also listed the ingredients and procedure to prepare the dessert.
Ingredients:
- 60 ml water
- 400 g Kolhapur Jaggery
- 300 ml milk
- 330 ml thickened cream
- 6 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Procedure:
1) Preheat the oven to 120 C
2) To make the caramel, place the water into a saucepan and add the 300 grams of grated jaggery. Place over a high heat and cook until the caramel begins to darken and thicken, remove from the heat, add two tbsp of water to arrest the cooking. Pour the caramel into a flan tin and allow to cool and set.
3) Meanwhile, bring the milk, cream, jaggery and vanilla paste to the boil. Whisk the eggs gently and pour in the hot milk, whisk to combine. Skim off any bubbles and pour the custard through a fine sieve into the flan tin. Place into a bain-marie filled with hot water.
4) Bake for 60 minutes or until just set. Chill completely, preferably overnight, before turning out.
Do you feel inspired enough to try this at home? Let us know about your experience.