More Indian Sweets

Indian sweet treats, whether for one of the many festivals or holy days or just for home consumption, all seem to be made with milk. Well, maybe not all, but most. Making matters worse, they are generally made using Khoya or Mawa, a milk product created by slowly cooking, stirring, simmering, stirring, stirring and stirring, for hours, until the end result is a thickened mass. This is the basis for so many of the sweets, like Gulab Jamun, Rasgullah, Peda and many others. 

When I first made Gajar Burfi, a carrot fudge, some years back, it was one of these recipes calling for the long milk cooking process. My sister, who once made an Indian meal for some friends, noted that she was going to make a recipe for Carrot 'Halwa', from one of her cookbooks. It was that long, slow, stirring process. She wrote later that it was a huge hit with her guests. However, after 4 1/2 hours of stirring to accomplish this result, she flatly stated, "NEVER AGAIN!"

Gajar Burfi or Carrot Fudge

Having read that halwa and burfi are similar, but that halwa is generally made without milk while burfi is made with milk, obviously that is a generality that doesn't always apply. When I came across a recipe for Gajar Burfi that I tweaked to come out similarly by using whole milk powder to thicken the mixture instead of stirring for hours, I was very pleased. I sent the recipe to my sister. I have no idea if she ever tried it out. She may still be too traumatized. =:o

Now, as I am preparing for an Indian dinner for another two of my sisters, I chose to make a sweets assortment as dessert rather than go to deep-frying (which I abhor, no matter how good the outcome) to make Gulab Jamun or making paneer so I could make Rasgullah (a major difficulty nowadays since pretty much all milk in the grocery is "ultra-pasteurized," and does not like to form curds for the paneer). So I looked through an Indian cookbook I created for myself, made up of mostly recipes I have created, generally by looking through 2 to 20 recipes and coming up with something that sounds good to me. I have quite a repertoire by now, as I have been making Indian food for nearly 30 years at this point. But there are things I still want to try out, so I added into this cookbook some recipes that were either straight from someone's website (to tweak later on when I tried it out), or again a compilation of what "I would do," having previously looked at many iterations for the recipe. Some of these sweets are among those. Things I had yet to try.

Rava Laddoo, Sweet Semolina Laddoo

Why did I wait so long?

Who knows. Sometimes, it just seems like it's going to be a huge bother, or a huge mess, and I procrastinate. That is something I am really, terribly good at.

In selecting the sweets to make for a treat at end of this dinner, I selected three things in my cookbook, along with the Gajar (Carrot) Burfi, made before. I love the Carrot Fudge, and as my husband, who is not at all fond of carrots, loves it as well, just proves that once you add enough sugar, he will eat most things. 😉

I wrote a couple of days ago about the Badam Katli, or Thin Almond Fudge. That recipe is one that does not use the milk as it's basis. As it turns out, the second sweet I tried out is Rava Laddoo, or Sweet Semolina Laddoo, also does not use milk as it's basis. So much for generalities! This was a welcome discovery as my whole milk powder is running low and no grocery anywhere I have shopped carries whole milk powder. Nonfat milk powder is found anywhere. But nonfat is not the best way to go for these sweets. 

The Sweet Semolina Laddoo recipe is one I chose from a website called "Chef in You." I used it mostly just as stated in the recipe on that blog, so I urge you to go there and check out all the step by step photos, if those are needed. I happened to have semolina in my pantry, as I use it occasionally when making pasta. I measured some ingredients by gram or ounce. Some, like "10 cashews," were self explanatory. 

Rava Laddoo or Sweet Semolina Laddoo

Made about 25

Heat 2 teaspoons (of the total 4 1/2 teaspoons) of ghee in a wide skillet. Toast the raw cashews until they start to turn golden, stirring constantly. Turn these out onto paper toweling and then add in the raisins to the skillet, tossing and cooking until they puff up. Turn out to another sheet of paper toweling.

Toast the grated dry coconut, not till browned, but just until it smells of coconut. Turn out to a small bowl.

Add the remaining ghee to the skillet and over low heat add in the semolina, stirring and mixing until the smell is very apparent. It does not need to brown, but to absorb the ghee and slightly cook.

Rava Laddoo, or
Sweet Semolina Balls

 Turn the semolina out into a mixing bowl and add in the toasted nuts, coconut, raisins, pinch of salt and the cardamom powder. Stir, then add in the sugar and mix well. Add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of milk and stir in. Check if at this point it is possible to squeeze a small amount into a ball. If you have ever made Rum Balls or Bourbon Balls at Christmas, it is similar. If the mixture will not hold its shape, add in more milk as needed, by one or two teaspoons at a time, mixing very well each time to distribute the liquid, before testing if it will hold a ball shape. I live in a very dry climate and needed to add over 2 tablespoons more milk to make the mixture hold together.

Once the mixture can hold shape, pour all of the mixture back onto the skillet and keep over low heat, covered, and let rest for 2 minutes. This gives the mixture time to absorb  and will form and taste better.

Pour back into the mixing bowl and scoop out 2 to 3 teaspoonful sized portions and form into balls. It is good to have little mini muffin papers to contain them but is not completely needed. Best if kept in the fridge and will last about 5 days.

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Doodh Peda or Milk Fudge Balls

The other sweet I tried out was one called Peda. Or Doodh (milk) Peda (something spherical shaped). I am not totally positive where I found this recipe, but it is very similar to one from Hebbar's Kitchen, so please check out her recipe, again with step by step pictures if those are needed. These are little milk fudge balls, and are simple to make, if you choose to use the quick method of using condensed milk and milk powder. Sweetened condensed milk eliminates the need to add any other sugar and the milk powder thickens the mixture, giving it a great head-start. Oh, and they are so delicious!

Doodh Peda or Milk Fudge Balls

Makes about 25

Doodh Peda or Milk Fudge Balls

1 tablespoon ghee
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups whole milk powder
2 tablespoons milk, warmed
8 or 9 saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon green cardamom seeds, ground
1 teaspoon ghee, plus more for hands while rolling
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pistachios to decorate, whole or chopped

In a small bowl, set the saffron threads into the warm milk to steep. Set aside.

In a large, heavy pot, add in the first teaspoon ghee, spread around in the pan, then pour in the sweetened condensed milk and the dry milk powder. Stir this mixture thoroughly, breaking up lumps, until the mixture is smooth. Add in the saffron milk and stir. Set over medium to medium low heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Add in the cardamom powder and the second teaspoon of ghee and stir well. Remove from heat and pour onto a greased plate to cool slightly. Once it can be handled, grease hands with ghee and take small portions of the mixture and toll into balls. Technically, it is common to use a Peda Stamp to press a starburst into the top of the ball, and then pistachios, or pistachio slivers pressed in to adorn. I used the tip of a lemon reamer to make a starburst. 

Keep in a well sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a few days.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Tis the Season for Pumpkin

'Tis the season for Pumpkin in all its forms. My favorite of the squash varieties, when it comes to baking, are either butternut squash or one of those big blue-green colored ones, whether called Jarradale, Jamboree or whichever name they come by. They have such lovely smooth flesh, making them ideal for things like pumpkin pie, pumpkin tarts, pumpkin loaves, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies and anything else baked with pumpkin. Another reason I love these two types of squash best for baking is that they are less watery. 

Some Squash Varieties

Most every "pumpkin" (those orange ones, be they round, flat or other) I have ever tried is stringy and/or watery, even the sugar pumpkins. I bake my squash, to avoid having any water added to the equation, but even so, the pumpkin varieties give off so much liquid that by the time you've set the cooked flesh into a colander to drain for use in a recipe, there is not much left to use. 

I try to accomplish a nice, thick puree, similar to a can of "pumpkin." Ultimately, I use either the blue Jarradale type or everyday butternut for this purpose. Just my preference. If you have great luck with another variety, then do use whatever works for you. 

And then, there are always cans of "pumpkin," in case you run out during the year!
 

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

I started off using some of my stash of already baked and pureed Jarradale squash in the freezer. I do this with the big blue varieties in the fall and portion it into freezer zip-top bags in 2-cup portions, suitable for a pie. If I need less than 2 cups for a recipe, then I use the rest added into soup, which gives a nice body (not to mention great flavor) to any thin soup. This time, I decided to make Soft Pumpkin Cookies.

Lard vs Shortening vs Butter

I want to clarify on my reasons for using lard in this recipe. Firstly, I do not like using shortening, which is an unnatural product, and worse for one by far than lard or butter, which are from natural sources. (My own opinion.) I have made these cookies various times using one of all three fats. Butter tastes great, but leaves a flat cookie, just too soft. Shortening works better, keeping shape a bit more and holding their domed shape a bit better. Lard makes these cookies tender and delicate yet still retaining their pretty dome shape on baking. Ergo; lard it is, for me. Just know if you switch the fat the results will be far different. 

These cookies are, as the name states, "soft." They have a most wonderful flavor, and are as delicate as can be. They have a nice glaze icing using browned butter, making these truly irresistible. Next I want to attempt a Pumpkin Sandwich Cookie. I have the cookie part down, but was unhappy with the filling, which was too soft. Back to the drawing board with the icing part, but for now, here are my Soft Pumpkin Cookies:

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

Made 5½ dozen (2-teaspoon) drop cookies

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

COOKIES:
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup lard (or shortening)
1 cup pureed pumpkin/squash, or canned pumpkin
zest of one orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole grain, ground Kamut Khorasan flour (or half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour)
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup ground nuts (walnuts preferred)

ICING:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (no butter substitutes!)
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk, as needed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready one or two ungreased baking sheets.

COOKIES: Combine in a mixer bowl the sugars and lard, beating until smooth. Add in the pureed pumpkin, orange zest and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves. Add the dry ingredients in, beating very slowly until moistened, then beat briskly just to combine thoroughly. Add the nuts and stir to distribute.

Drop the cookies onto the baking sheet(s) using a two-teaspoon measure or cookie scoop, keeping them at least 2 inches apart. Try not to make them any larger, as they come out soft already. Bake the cookies for about 9 to 11 minutes, or until just set. Remove the cookies at once to racks to cool completely.

ICING: Heat the butter in a preferably light-colored skillet, so you can keep track of the browning process. Allow the butter to brown nicely, but not burn. Using a non-butter imitation will only burn. Pour the browned butter into the confectioners' sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. Add in the vanilla and a pinch of salt, if desired. Add milk one tablespoon at a time, only if needed to make an icing that the cookies can be dipped into, leaving with a nice coating. If too stiff, add a little more milk. Dip the tops of the cookies in the icing, then turn upright and let the icing set.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Couple of Treats to take to the Festivities

I mentioned a day or two ago that we are going to one of my sisters-in law's house for Christmas Day. They do a big "dinner" at noon, open gifts all afternoon, and then have snack foods for the evening. I was asked to bring something to contribute to the snack portion of the evening. The request was completely open-ended: no guidance as to what to make or how much, it was all up to me. 

Diana's Sugared Pecans

After talking it over a bit, I came up with two things; one sweet and one savory. For the sweet portion, I made some of Diana's Sugared Pecans, which are so delicious it is very hard to move away from the bowl when they are out! These are very sweet pecans, with a thick, coating and they are dreamy good! In case you are in need of something to make, these are certainly an option. They don't take long to make, either, though you will need a candy thermometer. 

I will say, I got this recipe many years ago from my sister, who found it on the internet. I looked and looked yesterday and cannot find that recipe out there, though it must be. Regardless, in the original recipe I believe it said to spread the finished nuts onto waxed paper to separate, and then cool. I have done this in past, but the nuts are exceedingly hot when they go onto the waxed paper. Inevitably, some of the hot nuts will stick to the paper. Not a really big deal, but this time I used Silpats to spread them to cool. Worked most wonderfully! Just FYI.

Diana's Sugared Pecans

Diana's Sugared Pecans

Makes about 4+ cups

3¾ cups pecan halves
2¼ cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter
¾ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place the pecans onto a rimmed baking sheet in one layer. Bake the pecans for about 20 minutes, then set them aside to cool. Have ready either waxed paper or Silpat/silicone sheets.

Place the sugar, butter and sour cream into a saucepan and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pan for 2 minutes, so the steam washes down any sugar crystals lurking on the sides of the pan. Insert the candy thermometer and cook the mixture on medium heat to soft-ball stage, or 235 to 240 degrees. Remove from heat, add in the cinnamon, vanilla and the pecans and stir well. Pour the mixture onto the prepared waxed paper or silicone sheets and with two forks, separate the nuts into single pieces. Allow to cool and then store in an airtight container until needed.
The second part of the snack treats are Cheese Twists. These were sort of a riff on a recipe on the 'net from Emeril. I started with that recipe and altered it to fit my taste. I used fresh rosemary and then added in some Grains of Paradise. If you are so fortunate as to have these little gems in your spice cabinet, I highly recommend them. If not, use about half the amount of freshly ground black pepper. 

Cheese Twists

Cheese Twists

Makes about 32

2 sheets Puff Pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ cup olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced finely
2 teaspoons Grains of Paradise, ground
1 teaspoon salt
dash of cayenne, optional

Thaw the puff pastry sheets until they unfold easily, about 30 to 40 minutes. In the meantime, in a bowl, combine the Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, Grains of Paradise, salt and cayenne, if using. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Once pastry sheets are thawed, sprinkle a surface with flour and roll out one of the sheets in only one direction, keeping the corners squared. The sheet length should be about doubled the width. With a pastry brush, brush the lightly beaten egg onto the entire sheet. Using one half of the filling mixture, spread this over one half of the pastry sheet. Fold the unused side over the filled side. With the rolling pin, press the top down to seal the mixture in. Use a long, sharp knife, or pastry or pizza cutter to slice narrow pieces, about 3/8-inch wide. Twist these long strips a few times, and set them, well apart, onto a baking sheet.

Roll pastry              |       brush with egg         |      spread half mixture      |     on half the sheet

 

Fold opposite side over filling      |    slice into long strips     |    twist the strips     |    bake

Repeat this with the second puff pastry sheet. Bake each sheet of Cheese Twists for about 10 minutes, until puffed and golden.

I hope everyone celebrating Christmas has a most wonderful holiday, filled with love and happiness. If you are not celebrating Christmas, I hope you find some entertaining recipes herein. I will be absent for a few days  with my own celebrations. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.