Oh-So Satisfying Pressure Cooker Desserts

Who does not love sweet recipes? It can brighten the dullest day and lighten your mood at any time! What makes sweets even better? When they’re made at home, with love! 

And what makes homemade sweets even better? When they are made without leaving behind too many dirty vessels! We all know of savoury recipes being made using pressure cookers, but ever thought of making sweet recipes in a pressure cooker? 

Pressure cookers are so diverse in utility, that we don’t often explore their full potential! Pressure cookers can make ‘one pot recipes’, they even double as ovens when you don’t have one and so much more. Have a look at some delectable sweet recipes prepared using the humble pressure cooker. 

New York Style Cheesecake

The drool-worthy cheesecake can be easily prepared without an oven, or in a pressure cooker. And it tastes divine! A must-try recipe! 

Serves: 8 servings
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients: 

For the crust

• 8-10 digestive biscuits 
• 3 tbsp melted butter 

For the Cheesecake 

• 500g cream cheese (softened) 
• 2/3 cup sugar 
• 2 tsp cornstarch 
• 2 whole eggs 
• ½ tsp vanilla extract 
• ¼ cup sour cream 

For Topping (optional) 

• ½ cup fresh berries 
• 2 tsp sugar 
• 1 tsp lemon juice 

Method: 

1. To prepare the crust of the cake, using a mixing jar, crush the digestive biscuits into a fine powder. Transfer the crushed biscuits into a mixing bowl, and pour the melted butter in it. Mix it well until it forms a crumbly consistency. 
2. Take your baking pan, grease it with some butter, and then gently transfer the biscuit and butter mix into it. Using a flattened spoon, spread the crust mix all across the baking pan. Now gently press it down, so that it forms a firm and even crust. Once the crust is formed, keep it in the refrigerator. 
3. To prepare the cheesecake, keep the cream cheese outside at room temperature to soften it. Using an electric whisk, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth and fluffy. Now add sugar, (preferably granulated sugar) and add it to the cream cheese, along with the cornstarch. Whisk everything once again till the sugar is completely dissolved. 
4. Next add the eggs one after another, whisking the mixture after each addition. The vanilla extract is the next thing that goes into the cheesecake. Now stir in the sour cream, do not whisk anymore, but simply fold it in using your hands or a spatula. 
5. Now remove the baking pan from the refrigerator, and pour in the cheesecake batter. 
6. Gently tap the base of the pan to get rid of any bubbles formed while pouring the batter. 
7. Now get your pressure cooker, and place a metal rack inside it. Pour 1 cup of water in it. Gently place your baking pan inside the pressure cooker on the metal rack. Shut the lid securely and let it pressure cook on a medium flame for about 20 minutes of 4 whistles. 
8. After 20 minutes, wait for the natural pressure of the cooker to release, then gently remove the cheesecake. Quickly run a knife around the edges of the baking pan, to release the cheesecake from the edges, making it easy to remove. Once it is completely cooled, place it in the refrigerator and let it chill for around 4 hours. 
9. In the meantime, you can make a berry compote to top the cheesecake with. In a saucepan, add the fresh berries of choice with sugar and allow the berries to soften, using a spatula gently press the berries to soften them and make them mushy. Once the compote is almost ready, add the lemon juice and mix. 
10. Pour the compote over the cool cheesecake, cut into pieces and serve! 

Eggless Sooji Cake 

Have you ever drooled over the delicious sooji cakes available in traditional bakeries and wondered how they are made? You can now make the same delicious sooji cake at home, and that too without an oven! This cake is made equally well in a pressure cooker. Check the recipe. 

Serves: 6-8 servings (depending on the size of each slice)
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1.5 cup sooji 
• 1 cup softened butter 
• ¾ cup condensed milk 
• ½ tsp vanilla essence 
• 1/3 cup milk 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• ½ tsp baking soda 
• 2-3 tsp tutti fruiti (optional) 

Method: 

1. Take a large mixing bowl, add the sooji to it, now add the softened butter and mix well. 
2. Next, add the condensed milk and vanilla essence and mix everything. Take care that no lumps remain. The consistency needs to be ribbon-like, if the sooji batter feels very thick, add some milk and loosen it slightly. 
3. Add the baking soda and baking powder to it. And mix it well. 
4. Grease a baking dish with butter and pour the cake batter in it. Gently tap the base to release any bubbles formed. Top it with tutti-fruity if you like. 
5. Place the pressure cooker on low flame, and add 1 cup of water to it. Place a metal rack inside it. Gently put the baking dish with the batter inside the cooker on the rack. 
6. Remove the rubber and whistle of the lid of the pressure cooker, and shut the pressure cooker. 
7. Cook the cake in the pressure cooker for about 25 minutes. After about 25 minutes, check if the cake is fully baked, by poking a toothpick in the centre of the cake. If it comes out dry, it means the cake is perfectly cooked. If it is wet, shut the lid and cook it for some more time.
8. Remove from the cooker and let it cool, run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake. Remove the cake once cooled. Cut into slices and enjoy. 

Laapsi 

Laapsi or Fada Laapsi, is a common sweet prepared in Gujarati households. It is commonly prepared as a ‘Prasad’ or a holy offering at religious events. It is a simple and hearty sweet that is also nutritious. Prepared using broken wheat, it is a healthy sweet. 

Serves: 5 servings
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup dalia (broken wheat) 
• 3 tbsp ghee 
• ½ sugar 
• 10 almonds (soaked and cut into thin slivers) 
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder 
• 3 cups water

Method: 

1. Place the pressure cooker on medium flame, and add the ghee to it. Once the ghee melts, add the dalia. 
2. Reduce the flame and roast the dalia in ghee on a low flame for at least 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Roast until the dalia becomes aromatic and lightly golden. You will also see the ghee separating from the dalia. 
3. At this point, add the sugar and cook it until the sugar begins to melt. 
4. Add the cardamom powder and add 3 cups of water to it. Mix everything well. 
5. Shut the lid of the pressure cooker securely and cook it for about 3-4 whistles. 
6. Let the natural pressure be released, then slowly open the pressure cooker. 
7. Check if the laapsi is fully cooked. 
8. Remove the laapsi from the pressure cooker into the serving bowl, garnish with almond slivers and enjoy while warm. 

Caramel Bread Pudding 

This dessert has not got the fame and recognition it deserves. It is made using few ingredients easily available at home, does not have a complex recipe and is a delight for the taste buds. You must try this recipe in your pressure cooker. 

Serves: 4 servings
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup regular sugar 
• 4-5 slices of bread 
• 2 whole eggs
• ½ cup milk 
• 2 cup corn flour 
• 2-3 drops vanilla essence 
• ½ cup sugar 

Method: 

1. We start by preparing the caramel, take a saucepan, and place it on medium to low flame. Add half a cup of sugar and keep stirring. The sugar gradually starts to melt. Keep stirring till it gets a golden colour, then immediately remove it from the pan and pour it into a glass or steel flat container. Spread the caramel perfectly across the base. 
2. To prepare the bread pudding, take 2 whole eggs and whisk them well in a large size mixing bowl.
3.  Now add the milk and sugar. Whisk it until the sugar completely dissolves. 
4. Once the sugar milk and eggs are well combined, add the cornflour and dissolve it in as well. 
5. Take around 4 slices of regular bread, and break them into fine pieces. No need to make a powder as the slight chunky texture of bread is desired. Add these bread pieces to the milk and using a spatula press it gently and let it soak well. 
6. The bread will become soft and mushy and get a consistency like cake batter. Finally, add the vanilla essence and give it all a final mix. 
7. Grease the container where the caramel has been poured. Very gently pour the bread pudding batter inside it. Take care not to mix or stir the contents, or else the layers will be ruined. Seal the container tightly. 
8. Place a pressure cooker on medium to high flame, and add 1 cup of water to it. Place a wire rack and gently insert the sealed pudding container inside the cooker. 
9. Remove its rubber and whistle securely place the lid on the pressure cooker and let the bread pudding steam for about 15 minutes. 
10. After 15 minutes, remove the bread pudding, open and check if it’s fully steamed and not in a semisolid state. Allow the bread pudding to cool down
11. Once it is fully cooled, place the container in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. 
12. After chilling it, invert the bread pudding container on a serving plate, such that the caramel is coating the top of the bread pudding. Cut it into desired sizes and relish it.