Sweet revolution: Mithai gets a gourmet twist with luxury ingredients

Champagne-infused laddoos to gold-foiled barfi, artisanal brands are transforming traditional Indian sweets into high-end delicacies

Barfi has been reinvented, laddoo reimagined, and gulab jamun given a Spanish twist. Infused with innovative flavours, these traditional Indian delicacies are now being marketed as “gourmet mithai,” with some of them costing up to Rs 56,000 for a 100-piece box.

Driving this “sweet couture” industry is a handful of artisanal brands. Their offerings range from Jägerbomb laddoo and Nutella peda to Bavarian chocolate barfi and gulab jamun churros. Other creations include Biscoff gujia, kaju katli bonbon, and motichoor and kalakand cheesecakes, among others. The festival season is keeping them busy.

Gurugram-based Nihira Sweets, launched in 2018,