Kalakand



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Growing up in a time when people did not spend their days glued to their smartphones and social media accounts, as a kid, I used to find joy in the simpler things of life. Every lane in our locality had a sweet shop that boasted of their lineage and their prowess of making the best sweets. It was part of my Sunday ritual to visit the sweet shop with my dad. My eyes would sparkle with joy at the mere sight of those scrumptious and colorful sweets on display at all eye levels. God, it was so difficult to pick a favorite! Consumed by busy schedules and a cluttered mind, these little pleasures now feel just out of reach.



Kalakand (or Milk cake) is one such Indian dessert that has a special place in my heart and elicits feelings of nostalgia. It is a creamy milk fudge delicately perfumed with cardamom and adorned with chopped pistachios and nuts. Traditionally made with cottage cheese, it is moist, tender, and melts in the mouth!



For this recipe, I have made everything from scratch. But if you are running out of time and don’t want to go into the hassle of making cottage cheese, you can make this sweet with ricotta cheese.


Having a single piece of this delicious dessert will make you beam with joy!



Ingredients:
  • 2 litre Full-fat milk
  • 2 tsp Lemon juice
  • ½ cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp Cardamom powder
  • ½ tsp Ghee
  • Chopped pistachios and almonds(for garnishing)

Instructions:
  1. Take 1 litre milk in a wide and heavy bottom pan. Put it to boil.
  2. Once it comes to a boil, switch off the flame and remove the pan from the stove. Add in the lemon juice till the milk starts to curdle.
  3. Using a strainer, drain the liquid and then the wash the cottage cheese well with fresh water to remove the tart flavour from it..
  4. In another heavy bottom pan, put the remaining 1 litre of milk to boil.
  5. Continue boiling till the milk starts to thicken, keep stirring the milk at regular intervals else it might get stuck at the bottom. After around 20 minutes add the cottage cheese that we prepared initially. Continue stirring the mixture continuously. Keep the flame at medium-low heat.
  6. Cook the mixture for another 10 minutes or so and add the cardamom powder.
  7. The mixture will start to get really thick now. Add the powdered sugar and ghee and mix it. Once you add the sugar, the mixture will again become little thin. Keep cooking till it starts becoming thick again.
  8. Once the mixture reaches a consistency where it looks like it will set, switch off the flame and keep the pan aside. Grease a tray/plate with little butter or ghee and pour the mixture in it and spread evenly.
  9. Garnish with pistachios, slightly press the nuts into the mixture. Allow the mixture to cool down for 3-4 hours before cutting into pieces.

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