Hetal's Gajjar Ka Halwa Mini Tarts

Photo by:

Hetal Vasavada

Excerpted with permission from Desi Bakes by Hetal Vasavada, published by ‎Hardie Grant Publishing, October 1, 2024, RRP $35.00 Hardcover.

Gajar ka halwa is every aunty’s favorite dessert. It’s a pudding-like dessert made with shredded carrots that are cooked down in milk and ghee with a touch of sugar and cardamom until everything is tender and melts in your mouth! You can easily find this sweet on the menus of Indian restaurants across America! These mini pies have all the flavors of gajar ka halwa in a neat little package. The filling is luscious, creamy, and reminiscent of pumpkin pie. I topped the tarts with a generous dollop of whipped cream and sprinkled on some pistachios and rose petals. Feel free to substitute jaggery for some of the granulated sugar; however, keep in mind that the color of the filling will be brown instead of orange. You can make these ahead of time and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 2 days before serving. Top with whipped cream right before serving.

Ingredients

FILLING

1¼ cups (132 g) finely grated peeled carrots
⅔ cup (160 ml) evaporated milk
2 teaspoons ghee
¼ teaspoon freshly ground Baraka Cardamom
4½ tablespoons (70 ml) whole milk
½ cup (100 g) Madhur Jaggery or granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon mawa (whole milk) powder
Pinch of salt

FOR DECORATING

¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
½ teaspoon Kaveri Vanilla extract
Chopped pistachios or cashews
Dried edible flowers

FOR THE CRUST (DOUBLE THIS RECIPE)

1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Madhur Jaggery
1¼ teaspoon Surya Salt or kosher salt
1 stick (115 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
5 tablespoons (75 ml) ice-cold water

Methods

MAKE THE CRUST

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse 3 times and then add the cold butter. Pulse 3 to 5 times, or until the pieces of butter are no larger than a pea. Turn the food processor to low speed and slowly stream in the water. Stop once the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Roll both pieces of dough to a 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness. Using a 3-inch (7.5 cm) round scalloped cookie cutter, reroll the scraps and cut out a total of 12 rounds. Gently press each round of dough into the well of a muffin tin. Press down and around the sides, making sure the dough fits snugly in each cavity. Refrigerate the pan while you make the filling.

MAKE THE FILLING

In a saucepan, combine the grated carrots, evaporated milk, ghee, and cardamom. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring often, until the carrots are tender and soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer the cooked carrots to a blender and add the whole milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, milk powder, and salt. Blend until smooth. Spoon about 11/2 tablespoons of the filling into each mini tart shell. Gently tap the muffin tin on the counter to smooth out the filling.
Bake until the edges of the crust are golden and the filling jiggles slightly in the center when shaken, 15 to 18 minutes.
Let the tarts cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use a knife or offset spatula to gently lift the tarts out of the pan. Cool on a wire rack.

TO DECORATE

In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until you have stiff peaks, 4 to 5 minutes. Do not overmix this; otherwise, you will end up with butter!
Spoon dollops of whipped cream onto the cooled pies. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and rose petals. Refrigerate until ready to serve.