Summers in Mumbai can be all about the monsoons. Believe me, I would know. When I visited the city 4 years ago, that was about the first thing that happened to me! It came from nowhere, and left me completely drenched. But I didn’t mind at all – there’s something about the monsoon rains and their dark skies that I find poetic and almost a bit enchanting. Although I have to admit that I prefer to admire them from inside!

But what do you fill your days with, when the monsoon pours down outside and all you want to do is to stay dry? How about a chocolate-focused baking class! My food blogging Mumbaikar friend Sunaina Basu checked out one of the more famous ones – a “speed baking” class with the Indian pastry chef Pooja Dhingra at Studio Fifteen in Parel. Here are some photos from her experience!

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My first day in Mumbai, June 2012. Photo taken by me.

The class included instructions on the baking procedures behind a number of pastries:

– Molten Chocolate Cake

– Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

– Oreo Truffles

– Nutella Squares

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Molten chocolate cakes. Photo by Sunaina Basu.
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Pooja Dhingra in action! Photo by Sunaina Basu.
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Nutella squares. Photo by Sunaina Basu.
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Ready Nutella square! Photo by Sunaina Basu.
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Oreo truffles. Photo by Sunaina Basu.
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More Oreo truffles! Photo by Sunaina Basu.
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Double chocolate chip cookies. Photo by Sunaina Basu.
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Sunaina Basu and Pooja Dhingra!

 

Sunaina was very happy with her class, and left with a goodie bag that promises to make any monsoon-filled afternoon sparkle:

 

And some official Studio Fifteen photos (because there’s no such thing as too many photos of chocolate):

 

So if you’re currently in Mumbai and hoping to do something inside while the monsoon pours down, why not sign up for a cooking or baking class? 🙂

 

Cover photo taken by Sunaina Basu.