Atta Pinni Recipes: Creative Twists on a Classic Indian Dessert

Heat a small pan over low flame and dry roast grated coconut and melon seeds for 2-3 minutes.

Remove grated coconut and add other chopped dry fruits and dry roast them over low flame. Keep stirring them to avoid burning.

Heat a small pan over medium heat. Add Ghee to the pan, heat it and roast the gond until it puffs up and becomes crisp. Be careful not to burn it. Once done, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Add little ghee to the pan and roast faux nuts (makhana) until crisp. Allow them to cool and then grind them to a coarse powder.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the whole wheat flour and roast it, stirring continuously, until it turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma.

This should take about 10-12 minutes. Make sure to keep stirring to avoid burning. Add the finely chopped dry fruits and grated coconut (if using) to the roasted flour. Continue to roast for an additional 2-3 minutes until the dry fruits are slightly toasted.

Once gond are fried and cooled properly, crush them lightly using heavy bottomed bowl or mortar. Mix in the roasted gond and cardamom powder. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.

Add the grated or powdered jaggery / powdered sugar to the mixture. Keep stirring until the jaggery /sugar melts and combines evenly with the mixture. If the mixture feels too dry, you can add a little more ghee to achieve the right consistency. Remove the mixture from heat and let it cool slightly until it is comfortable to handle. Grease your palms with a little ghee and shape the mixture into small laddus (balls). Press gently to ensure they hold their shape.

If desired, garnish each laddu with a piece of chopped nut or an edible silver leaf for a decorative touch. Allow the pinnis to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. They can be kept at room temperature for a couple of weeks or in the refrigerator for longer shelf life.