Treats with a dash of tradition: Chennai home bakers share secret ingredients

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By Roshne Balasubramanian

22/12/2023

What sets the quintessential Christmas plum cake apart? While a connoisseur will agree that all the ingredients contribute these four home bakers in Chennai add their own touch.

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Muhilann Murugan and his boyfriend Gerardo have embraced a Christmas tradition since 2020, baking a delicious Tres leches cake using Gerardo’s mother’s special recipe.

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“I’ve used Old Monk Rum and red wine, along with fruits like kiwi, dried plum, fig, and even seeds like pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds to give it a crunch,” shares the founder of Mugil’s Delight.

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Around four decades ago, Smitha Kuttayya of Global Theeni embarked on the task of baking a plum cake for the first time, a special memory from her cousin’s wedding.

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Kuttayya uses organic whole wheat, a meticulously prepared in-house spice mix, and homemade candied orange peels, among other intriguing ingredients.

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Sisters Preya Mani and Susharitha Mohan of Breakfast Matters turn their ritual of baking plum cakes into a delightful occasion that begins with a good cup of coffee.

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“Our mix is soaked for a minimum of 10 months, using mother liquor from the previous soaking, ensuring a strong flavour. The recent ones soak for at least three months,” she reveals.

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While others have drawn strength from love, memories, and companionship, Aarthi Santhanam of Bakespeare Tales discovered resilience within herself.

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“I add at least 10-12 varieties of dry fruits and nuts, chopping them into tiny pieces, adding ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg,” she shares.

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