The Desserted Girl

Mumbai and the hunt for ingredients

Update: I answered a bunch of FAQs about baking and ingredients on Instagram. You can see them all here!

I’ve been asked multiple times about where to find cooking chocolate, cream cheese, frozen fruits and a whole bunch more. I decided it was time to create a little ingredient sourcing list here. This list is in no way exhaustive, I’ll add more information as I find it, so feel free to add your tips in the comments below, everyone could use them. There’s also a section on baking equipment that I hope you find helpful!

1. Butter

I use Amul butter, available literally everywhere and always affordable. They also have an unsalted butter now which is also good and priced similarly. I’ve seen it at Food Hall and on Big Basket. President butter is also available easily now and its flavour is richer and creamier and I’ve used that a lot too.

2. Cream Cheese

I prefer Indian brands like La Cremella and D’Lecta. Available at Food Hall, Nature’s Basket, Big Basket and Amazon.

3. Whipping Cream

Amul does have whipping cream, look out for the red carton, not the blue! It is on Big Basket and at Food Hall and Reliance Fresh. If you do find it, buy the smaller 200 ml cartons because dairy-based whipping cream cannot be stored in the fridge for long and does go waste. Imported brands are fine too, just more expensive.

For longer-lasting, non-dairy options, check out Rich and Tropolite at Arife, Crawford Market. I don’t use these but I’ve heard that they’re good.

4. Cooking Chocolate

I now use Amul 75% chocolate in almost all my baking. While it isn’t strictly cooking chocolate, it’s great quality and any dark chocolate with minimal ingredients works well. I’ve also used the more expensive brand Cocoa Craft, available on Amazon at Food Hall as well.

5. Chocolate Chips

Ok, I have a confession. I ask family and friends coming to India to get me bags of Hershey’s, Nestle or Ghirardelli chocolate chips because for the life of me, I don’t know where you get them here. Indah and Urban Platter have Indian-made chocolate chips and while they’re not my first choice, they’re ok to use.

6. Cocoa Powder

I use either Hershey’s, both available online, at big supermarkets and gourmet food stores. For Dutch-processed cocoa powder which is great in baked goods like this, try Indah, sometimes available on Amazon.

7. Vanilla

I was guilty of using the little imitation bottles for a while and I know they’re cheap and seem like the easy solution. But pure vanilla extract is available these days and is not a bad investment considering it lasts for a while and the flavour is unparalleled if you’re a regular baker. I like Sprig and at the moment, I’m using McCormick’s from the US. You could even make your own!

Sprig sells vanilla beans online and you can buy them at Fab India and Nature’s Basket. If you make a trip to Coorg or Kerala, be sure to pick up some vanilla beans there, they’re the best 🙂

8. Sugars

I use Blue Bird caster sugar or Dhampur in pretty much everything because it melts down faster and better than granulated sugar.

The brown sugar I use is usually the soft, dark brown kind. Tate & Lyle is my go-to and I’ve seen some online by Urban Platter as well. Coconut sugar is a good, healthier alternative and I’ve used the one by Sattvic.

9. Flours

Your favourite brand of atta (wholewheat flour) and maida (all-purpose flour) is absolutely fine to use. Sattvic has great alternate options like rye, buckwheat and coconut flour.

For oat flour, just grind up your favourite cooking oats in a blender, it makes an amazing substitute in things like pancakes! When using whole oats, I use rolled oats by True Elements, Quaker, By Nature or Sattvic.

10. Yeast

Blue Bird active dry yeast is my go-to option but other Indian brands include Blossom and Crown.

11. Cheeses

Imported brands will cost you an arm and leg. Thankfully, organic brands in India now make and sell gourmet cheeses at affordable prices. Check out Kodai, D’lecta and Mooz cheeses on Big Basket, at Nature’s Basket, Food Hall.

12. Frozen Berries

Delish sells frozen strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. You will find them at Nature’s Basket, Food Hall and Big Basket.

 

Baking equipment

Oven: I own a Morphy Richards 28 ltr OTG and it’s like an extension of me. I love it to bits! It fits all the standard size baking pans, and while I do need to bake in batches when it comes to cookies and muffins, it’s not a huge issue.

Baking pans: All kinds of baking pans are now available online. I’m talking springform, donut pans, muffin trays, loaf tins and square baking tins. I don’t have any favourite brands here, but I prefer non-stick when possible.

Mixing bowls: These are crucial if you don’t have a stand-mixer (I do have one now, but never felt like I was missing out before). Along with a good hand mixer, you’ll never have trouble making a large cake batter if you have a deep, sturdy mixing bowl. Borosil is my favourite here, I have a set of two great glass bowls.

Measuring Cups and Spoons: You’ll find endless options online. I have two sets in plastic and one in stainless steel. It’s also a good idea to buy an inexpensive set of kitchen scales for weight measures.

Hand mixer: I used an Orpat mixer for years but recently switched to Philips and really love it!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hello,

    Please let me know which brand of heavy cream is available in Mumbai. I think heavy cream (diary) is that which contains 35% fat.

    Thanks

    Reply

    • I use whipping cream in place of heavy cream, there are more details in the post above !

      Reply

  3. Can you explain the otg functions in one of your blog? Or the way we need to preheat and in which mode we need to bake bread cake and cookies?

    Reply

    • All models and brands will have different settings so it depends on what you have and the manual is the best way to understand the functions. There might be a “stay on” mode for preheating with a light that goes off automatically when it’s done. Usually there is one bake mode for all kinds of dishes but again, depends on what you have.

      Reply

  4. Hiii. I wanted to know which brand is the best between Morde Chocolate 55% and Van Houten Couverture 55% for brownies and cookies ? Also, do you suggest using 55% or 70% ?

    Reply

    • Couverture is the better one to use, try Cocoa Craft brand on Amazon, 70% is best no matter which brand you use.

      Reply

  5. Hi,
    Where can i buy baking ingredients for starting a shop in kerala for baking ingredients.

    Reply

  6. Hi , is whipping cream and heavy cream the same thing?

    I want one for Panna cotta?

    Could you suggest which heavy cream to buy. I have Tripolite though with me but not sure if that can be used to make a Panna cotta

    Reply

    • They can usually be used interchangeably. Whipping cream details are above in the beginning of the post.

      Reply

  8. I wanted to ask one question’: Is gel and gelatin the same? My daughter has attended a cake workshop wherein she was taught to use brand nutral gel/glaze for gel cakes.

    Reply

      • Yes, I’m referring to gel based food colour. Is gel based food colour and gelatin the same?Actually what I want to know is i’have heard gelatin is good for stabilising whipped cream. Is it true? If so, then how much gelatin should be used to add to the whipping cream. Should the gelatin be melted and then added to it? Which is the best brand of gelatin to be used to whipped cream available in Mumbai?

        Reply

        • There is some more info on gelatine if you scroll through the comments on this post. I don’t use it so wouldn’t be able to answer. I’ve never felt the need to add anything to whipped cream apart from sugar to thicken it and often I don’t even use that. Amul whipping cream whips well, if chilled thoroughly first.

          Reply

          • Ok thank you, and thanks for your valuable suggestions in your blog. Keep up the good work!!

          • Im going to buy cake baking equipment today like baking tins, cake turntable, cake box& cake board, piping bags, spatula, etc. Where can I get these for cheaper rates. I ve heard that all stuff is available at arife’s at Crawford market, can you pls suggest any other shop. Are these equipment available at arife’s in Andheri?

        • Gelatin helps in setting while gel based colour gives colour to the dessert(dish) you are making. The purpose of both the product is different though gelatin is used as a base for gel based colour. Gelatin by itself is colourless. It originates in animals as well as plants so please check its origin when you purchase,

          Reply

  10. I forgot to ask something. In one of my recipes there is a step where we have to heat the whipping cream. Whether we can heat non dairy cream or we have to get dairy whipping cream like amul. Elle vire is very expensive.

    Reply

  11. Your this post was very useful. Thanks. Will like to add that the font or letters are very faint.

    Reply

  12. Egg Replacers are readily available at Nature’s Basket and at Amazon. Depending on the recipe, you can replace eggs with unsweetened apple sauce (which you can make at home, cook apples till they are soft and cooked) or yogurt. For cupcakes and cakes I prefer to use both, applesauce and Dahi.

    Ariffe stocks Calibut chocolate chips in bags of 2.5kgs (milk and Dark 54% and 70%) costs about INR1600

    Reply

    • Sorry The price for Callabaut 54% chocolate chips is about INR2300. My memory is going south these days.

      Reply

    • It depends on the recipe, but milk, yogurt or flax eggs work in place of eggs. I don’t use gelatin but I’ve heard agar agar works, I assume it’s available online.

      Reply

    • you can get veg gelatin in Haiko (in Powai) , Nature’s Basket and Amazon. Veg gelatin are in powder form. To substitute gelatin with agar agar, you’d need to get the conversion right or your desert will over set as Agar-Agar, which is an algae based gellifying agent.
      To set 500ml of liquid:
      4 sheets gelatine =1 envelope powdered gelatine =1 tbsp.granulated gelatine =1 tsp. agar powder= 2g Agar
      3:1 powdered gelatin to powdered agar conversion.

      Hope this helps.

      Reply

  14. Hi,
    Where to get sugar free heavy whipping cream
    Amul store does not have in dadar area

    even a gud sugar free
    stevia is a bit bitter

    Reply

  15. thanks for sharing the information very useful content and i have followed your website

    Dry fruit hub:The online dry fruit store

    Reply

  17. Ladyfingers are available at Nature Basket as well! INR 250/- for a whole pack which in my opinion is not bad at all. 🙂

    Reply

  19. For whipping,,I want to by a blender which is the best one and what is the watts of the blender

    Reply

  20. Hey! This post is great! and so well written! Any idea where I can get my hands on fresh yeast in Mumbai?

    Reply

  21. Hey, I’m a Delhi girl but am aware of callebaut dark chocolate being available in both Delhi and Mumbai. I use its Belgium dark chocolate chips for baking and the output is yummylicious.

    Reply

      • Here are the dealers for Barry Callebaut Chocolate,

        If you’re looking for Van Houten (owned by Barry Callebaut) Chocolotate Compounds which is 50 % dark and has cocoa butter instead of vegetable oil or fats, a KG is about Rs. 400 odd, the dealer is based in Vikhroli. They do have a minimum order quantity and is way better than Morde and the likes.

        If you’re looking for Barry Callebaut Chocolates (imported), the dealer is based in Andheri East, Mahakali Caves.

        Amul did launch their whipping cream which was about 30 – 35 % Milk Fat. As for heavy cream best source is Parsi Dairy, a kg would cost you Rs. 350.

        Would be glad to share their number with you over pm.

        Cheers!
        द Bottomless पेट

        Reply

        • That’s a very informative post..Thank you so much..And ‘the bottomless pet(nice name ;))’,can you please forward van gluten distributor number..Hunting like crazy for the same..I am u able to find any reference and I don’t want to use compounds and callebaut is too expensive ..

          Reply

          • Van houten not gluten ..This auto correct will someday put me in trouble;)

          • Hello Usha,
            For Van Houten connect with Daffodil Foods -7506121253 / 7506121254.

            On another note if there’d anyone looking for Amul’s Whipping Cream try this store at Crawford Market – Vira Stores (Shop No 379/380) they have it in stock.
            Cheers!
            द Bottomless पेट

        • Hi! Thank you so much for sharing such valuable information… I have recently started baking and am loving every moment of it! The key to making baked delicacies is using the best quality ingredients. I very much would like to try using van houten chocolate that you mentioned above but alas nobody answers the line on the two numbers shared by you. Please could you help me out by directing me on how to contact the chocolate suppliers?

          Reply

  22. I need heavy cream not to make whipping cream(or else I could have used rich or tropolite), but to use as a cake ingredient (it is required in a cake recipe). Where will I get genuine heavy cream?

    Reply

    • Unfortunately I really don’t know, since I’m hunting for it too but I’ve heard Parsi Dairy makes high-fat cream. I haven’t seen it yet, but Nature’s Basket might keep it.

      Reply

  23. I am going beresk looking for heavy cream or whipping cream… Please help if you have any contacts

    Reply

  24. Hi,
    I stumbledupon your blog especially because you mentioned MumbAi. I loved reading it and the advice given esp fr the
    Whipping cream as its is such a frstrating experience searching for heavy creAm in Mumbai and I just bought the Amul blue carton uestrday to try whipped cream for my cake.
    I had seen red box of Amul but never saw again and forgot
    It exists. I will now order online. Thanks n keep sharing

    Reply

  25. Is Arife the bakery condiment store outside Andheri station on the West? If so, I have seen some other Indian brands of chocolate compounds there which are as cheap. Mordes is also available at Alphas in Irla,Ville Parle(W) .
    Wish I had seen your blog before. I bought 2 bags of Savoiarrdi Tiramisu biscuits in Australia as I did not know they were available in India, would have avoided the space in my suitcase.

    Reply

    • Yes, the same one. Arife also has outlets in Bandra and Crawford Market. I’ve actually switched to using a brand of chocolate I find at Food Hall, the flavour is much better than the compound varieties. And it’s quite possible the biscuits you bought in Australia are fresher than the ones available here, so don’t feel too bad 🙂 Glad you stumbled upon the blog!

      Reply

  26. Hi gayatri..recently I haven’t been able to get my hands on MORDE chocolate..any other brands you can recccomend locally..i use too much to spend too much on cook in chocolate 😀..
    Any help appreciated . Thanks and keep posting your lovely recipes !

    Reply

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