Food is a universal language across borders. Even during festivals and celebrations across the country and the world, delectable dishes remain a common thread. If you look at it closely, nothing connects and brings people together like a box of flavourful confectioneries. For the Festival of Lights, home chefs across Delhi-NCR are not just sticking to the sweet formula but are kicking it up a notch by offering extraordinary treats that you won’t think twice before indulging in.
BRILLIANT BAKES
Vatsala Jain started Baked Love by Vatsala as a “one-woman team” in 2012. Sonal Jain, who joined her sister Vatsala as a self-taught baker in 2017, shares, “We started specialising in eggless baking to provide cakes for our grandparents who don’t consume eggs.” Apart from the gluten-free hamper with sustainable packaging—their best-sellers include the festive brownie box made with Belgian chocolate and customisable options.
Available: @bakedlovebyvatsala on Instagram
Cost: Rs 1,400 onwards
IRRESISTIBLE DELIGHTS
Though known as a venture by mother-daughter duo Ritu Gupta and Radhika Singh, Ambrosia—Radhika explains—was “started by my mother about 25 years ago from her home kitchen.” Radhika, a Le Cordon Bleu pastry chef, joined Ritu about nine years ago. Their speciality includes ice-cream tubs.
Available: ambrosiabakery.in
Cost: Rs 1,350 onwards
A french twist
Harshleen Lamba started Loca Boca in Gurugram as a self-taught baker about three years ago. After a pastry course in Paris, she now specialises in French-style cakes. Lamba shares, “For Diwali, we have gourmet products such as madeleines and macarons, and we are open to customisation as well.”
Available: @thelocaboca on Instagram
Cost: Rs 1,000 onwards
FLAVOURS GALORE
Tanya Gupta started Whisk A Wish Patisserie in 2013. She later invested in a commercial kitchen in 2018 at Panchsheel Park. Gupta shares, “Our most-ordered box is the Sparkle Box; with a mix of sweet and savoury stuff. The hamper has ceramic, reusable diyas we sourced from a local artisan.”
Available: @whiskawish on Instagram
Cost: Rs 2,000 onwards
TRADITIONAL TAKE
A lawyer by profession, Udisha Sadh started Café Dulce de Nuria (CDDN) in New Friends Colony and registered it as a brand in 2017. Sadh—she also has a kitchen in Chhatarpur—talks about her Diwali hamper, “The fusion Indian truffles are hand-rolled in nut butter and is coated in Belgian chocolate.”
Available: @casadulcedenuria on Instagram
Cost: Rs 1,800 onwards
DESSERTS THAT PACK A PUNCH
With a commercial kitchen in Vasant Kunj, Ridhima Khanna started Addicted – Freshly Baked about 12 years ago. “We do a healthy section, a vegan section, and the full menu in gluten-free or regular versions.” The Everything Chocolate hamper, according to Khanna, is the winner for the season.
Available: @addictedfreshlybaked on Instagram
Cost: On inquiry