Remember those days when you used to sneak in a bit of powdered milk, from mom's precious larder and relish it with siblings in a comfy corner behind the sofa?

I am sure many of you have happy memories such as these to make you feel nostalgic about the days gone by.  To you lot we say, there's no good in melancholy!

Instead try paying tribute to the beautiful memories; restoring the childhood dream. One such way would be to recreate mom's recipes with all heart and affection.

MINI CAKES

Ingredients

1½ cup milk powder

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp melted ghee or buttermilk

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 pinch cardamom powder

2 tbsp almond slivers

2 tbsp pistachio slivers

Method

In a non-stick pan, add ghee, milk, milk powder and mix well. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Keep mixing well as it cooks.  When the mixture appears thick and comes together like a ball, put it on a greased plate or a tin. Spread well, using a greased spatula (with oil). Quickly sprinkle nuts and press lightly.

Now keep the dish in a cool place for few hours at least so that the cake sets well.

Remove, slice into mini pieces, and enjoy.

CRISPY PIE

Ingredients

For the Pie

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 recipe oat cookie (recipe given below)

1 tbsp light brown sugar, packed

1/4 tsp salt

1 recipe Crack Pie Filling (recipe given below)

Confectioners' sugar for dusting, as required

For the Oat Cookie

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 tbsp white sugar, granulated

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup regular oats

1/8 tsp baking powder

Pinch of baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

For the Pie filling

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

1½ cup white sugar, granulated

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1½ tsp salt

1/4 cup corn flour

1/4 cup milk powder

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

8 large egg yolks

Method

To prepare the Oat Cookie crust, preheat the oven to 350° F. In a stand mixer, mix cream, butter, and the different sugars on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until it is fluffy and pale yellow in colour. On a lower speed, add the egg. Increase the speed until the sugar granules fully dissolve and the mixture is a pale white colour. On a lower speed, add the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the dough comes together.

Plop the oat cookie dough in the centre of a pan and with a spatula spread it out until it is 1/4″ thick. Bake the oat cookie for 15 minutes.

To prepare the pie filling, mix the dry ingredients for the filling using a stand mixer on low speed. Add the melted butter to the mixer and paddle until all the dry ingredients are moist. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix until the white from the cream has completely disappeared into the mixture. Add the egg yolks to the mixer. Use the filling immediately.

To assemble the pies, preheat the oven to 350° F. Put the oat cookie, brown sugar and salt in the food processor and pulse it on and off until the cookie is broken down. Transfer the cookie crumbs to a bowl and, with your hands, knead the butter and ground cookie mixture until the contents of the bowl are moist enough to knead into a ball. If it is not moist enough to do so, gently melt an additional 1-1½ tablespoons of butter and knead it into the oat crust mixture. Divide the oat crust evenly over 2- 10″ pie tins.

Divide the crispy pie filling evenly over both crusts and bake at 350° F for 15 minutes. During this time, the pie will still be very jiggly, but should become golden brown on top. At 15 minutes, open the oven door and reduce the baking temperature to 325° F.  This will take 5-10 minutes – keep the pies in the oven during this process. Gently remove the baked pies from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool at room temperature.

Recipes: Collected

MILK COOKIES

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

80g powdered milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Method

Beat the butter with the sugar. Add the egg, and stir until well mixed. In another bowl, sift the flour with the powdered milk, cinnamon, ginger powder, baking powder, and salt. Then thoroughly mix the two mixtures to obtain light and mouldable dough. Divide the dough into two flat discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator, and cut out desired shape. Preheat oven to 180° C. Gently place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes, or until edges begin to toast lightly, and cookies turn golden brown. Remove immediately, and cool on a rack and store in an airtight container inside the refrigerator, or at room temperature.

Serve when cool and all set.