Alefiya Jane will not be making date rolls, among other items, this Christmas because of the rising prices of eggs in the city. While there are many other items on her menu that need eggs, the Uttan local says it is impossible for her to make the sweet treats without eggs. “The only reason I have not made date rolls this time is because eggs are expensive, and I have to use the egg yolk to brush the date rolls,” she says, continuing, “I cannot afford the extra cost of the eggs for them because I would need to buy eggs worth at least Rs 200-300 for the amount I usually make, which is a lot.”

Jane, a home baker who runs ‘She Bakes’ in Dahisar, feels the pinch even more because she makes a wide variety of gourmet and bespoke cakes. She adds, “Eggs are crucial binding material for my cakes because their quality depends on the binding material that I am using depending on the clients I am catering for. For my heirloom recipe, I have had to make a vegetarian version to factor in the cost of dry fruits.”