For these and many many more recipes, get our copy of Mais Recipes without delay!  The book makes a valuable gift to old and young and would be much appreciated.

To place your orders for Christmas Sweets visit http://www.Julianz.in (Mumbai)

Christmas season brings back many nostalgic memories of the festive season of our younger days in Bombay (now Mumbai) and we always reminisce about how we used to all sit-down in groups to make sweets (Kuswar) which we also had to then distribute on Christmas Day.  My mother used to begin as early as the 1st week of December starting with Kulkuls, Nankatais… and carry on until almost the eve of Christmas when the cakes were prepared, put into tins, neatly labeled with her name and sent with us to the bakery for baking. The labeling was for identification as the bakery used to receive a huge number of cakes due to lack of home ovens which people could ill afford back then. The quantity of sweets prepared used to be humongous and we as children would be busy helping our mother and our neighbours and vice versa in making kuswar.  It was great comaraderie and fun bringing us all together which we looked forward to with great zeal.

The sweets, although not limited to these alone, were what my mother made and have been reproduced from her timeless recipes, which are also included in the book  Mai’s Recipes. I have maintained the same quantities (though quite huge) that my mother made as a testament to her overly generous spirit.  You may make half, a third or quarter of the quantities mentioned, as appropriate for your requirements.

Click on the pictures for the recipe.

Gathiya https://cooklikececilia.com/gathiya

Something savoury for your Christmas Platter!

The following recipes are contributed by my sisters, Mabel Dias, Zenia Machado and Sheryl Newnes.

Marzipan https://cooklikececilia.com/marzipan

Milk Cream https://cooklikececilia.com/milk-cream

Turkish Delight (Jujubes) https://cooklikececilia.com/Turkish-Delight-jujubes

Sojee Sweet https://cooklikececilia.com/Sojee-Sweet

Thalie Sweet https://cooklikececilia.com/Thalie-Sweet

Date Rolls https://cooklikececilia.com/Date-Rolls

All of the above Christmas sweets and cakes and more can be ordered from my sister, Zenia Machado (Mumbai).

Please visit her website at http://www.Julianz.in  for further information.