BOREDOM and a little inspiration from his wife led to a dale curry chef adding a roaring trade in cupcakes to his family’s popular restaurant.
Reduced to producing only takeaway meals while Barnard Castle was in lockdown Naz Choudhury, of the Bengal Merchant restaurant, tried out some new ideas.
He said: “Basically my missus, Nafisa, was making them [cupcakes and milk-cakes] at home for friends. She showed me how at first.
“We used to do traditional Indian desserts at the restaurant but they weren’t selling so we haven’t done them for ages. Some people do come in and ask for dessert but we weren’t doing any.
“I thought, hang on, this is something we can do.”
The restaurant promoted the cupcakes on its social media platforms and it wasn’t long before demand grew, to the point where the chef is backing batches of about 40 at a time.
Flavours include Oreo, vanilla, red velvet, Lotus Biscoff, chocolate caramel and chocolate orange.
The milk-cakes are also proving to be a hit since the restaurant reopened when restrictions were lifted.
Mr Choudhury said: “The missus comes up with the concepts and I take it from there. The milk-cake is a dessert to enjoy when you come into the restaurant. After a curry I would recommend a milk-cake.
“Everyone who has had them says they have really enjoyed them.”
The milk-cakes come in a variety that includes rose and pistachio, vanilla and strawberry and Nutella and Ferrero Roche.
