My favorite picks for Sweets of India

Kaju Katli

Ingredients:

2 cups cashew nuts
1¾ cup sugar
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
1½ cup boiling water
4 sheets of silver leaf (optional)

Method: 

- Soak the cashew nuts in boiling water for 1 hour.
- Drain it and process smoothly in a mixer by adding milk & then sugar.
- Heat the butter in a large pan, put the cashew nut paste and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick.
- Then, put vanilla essence and mix thoroughly.
- Put this mixture in a greased tray and spread it evenly and press the silver leaf (optional) on the top. Let it cool for 45 minutes.
- After it is cooled, cut into diamond shaped pieces.

Peda

Ingredients:

300 g/1cup milk powder
240 m/ 1 cup milk
75 g sugar - preferably jaggery or palm sugar
100 g ghee/ butter
cardamom powder according to taste - start with ¼ tsp
pistachios to decorate (soak in the water for 6 h)

Method:

- Bring milk to a boil, add sugar and ghee.
- Stir to dissolve/melt. Keep the mix gently bubbling for 6-7 minutes. Slow to a simmer and slowly add milk powder. Mix well and stir for 2-3 minutes.
- Add cardamom powder and stir well. The mix should have come away from the side of the pan and become a solid lump by now. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
- Take small balls, roll slowly in hand and flatten on something like a cutting board. Put half of pistachio on the top. You can use a special Penda stamper to impress leaf, floral or star patterns on the sweets. Leave to cool and set. 

Tip:

For Kasmiri pada/ Kesar pada - Add a pinch of Saffron while milk is boiling for Kesar Peda.

Besan Laddu

Ingredients:

2 cups gram flour (besan)
1½ cup sugar (grinded)
1 cup ghee
1 hand full of raisins

Method:

- In a kadhai mix gram flour and ghee over a low heat.
- Stir constantly to avoid lumps.
- When it releases an appetizing smell, it is ready.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool.
- Add sugar and raisins to the gram flour and mix thoroughly.
- Now form ping-pong size balls of the mixture.
- Besan Ladoo are ready to be served.

Boondi Laddoo

Ingredients:

1 cup besan
1 pinch saffron
1 pinch cardamom powder
1 tbsp rice flour
1 pinch baking powder
1 tbsp broken cashew nut
2 cups sugar
1 cup of oil
1 cup water
For decoration silver foil

Method:

- Mix the flour, rice flour, baking powder.
- Make a smooth thick batter. Heat the oil. Take the batter and pour it over a sieve with round holes.
- Tap it gently with a spoon so that small balls of dough fall into the oil. Make the balls and keep aside. Heat the sugar and water till reaches 1/2 thread consistency.
- Mix in the saffron and cardamom powder and fried boondies. When the mixture is still warm make into balls. Boondi Ladoo are ready to be served
- If the mixture cools balls cannot be made as the sugar crystallizes.
- Decorate with silver foil, cut into small pieces and serve. 

Nariyal Burfi / Coconut Burfi

Ingredients:

400 g condensed milk
300 g grated coconut
100 g  full cream milk powder
½ cup milk
few drops red color 

Method:

- Heat the condensed milk, coconut powder, milk and milk powder in a thick-bottomed kadai.
- Once heated cook on slow flame till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
- Divide the mixture into two equal portions.
- Spread one portion evenly on a greased plate.
- To the other portion add the red color and mix well.
- Spread it over the white layer and allow it to cool.
- Cut into squares and serve.