For few years now, one of my Diwali favorites has been "Ricotta cheese Kesar-malai pedhas". This year I was trying to make variety of sweets from the same recipe( I made pedhas,kaju-pista rolls from same base recipe). I modified the 'Pedha' recipe a bit and viola! we have Kaju-Pista rolls. Actually Kaju-Pista rolls will be made a lot differently, but the texture issue with sugar syrup and cashew powder is a little daunting for me at times. So I decided to go the easier route....
For Pedhas:
425 gms Whole milk Ricotta cheese
1 cup Carnation milk powder
3/4th cup sugar
1/4th cup milk
1tsp ghee
1/4th tsp cardamom powder (Elaichi)
1 pinch saffron (kesar)
Pista and almond chips for decoration
Silver leaf/ foil for decoration
For Kaju-Pista Rolls:
1/2 cup Raw Cashew powder
1/4th cup Raw pista powder
few drops of green food coloring
Method:
1) In a non stick kadhai/skillet, melt 1tsp ghee. On medium to low flame add the ricotta cheese. Stir for about 15 mins. First the cheese will melt and then start getting thick again. This is similar to Khoya/ Khava.
Ricotta can burn easily. So, use non stick skillet and keep the flame low/medium!
2) When it starts leaving the sides of the kadhai, add milk (mixed with saffron/ kesar), sugar and milk powder. Stir all together. Cook till it starts leaving the sides of the kadhai. This will take about 15 mins or so. The mixture will become thin first and then thick.
3) Add the cardamom powder. Mix well. Take off the gas.
4) Let it cool.
5) To 1 part of the pedha mixture,add 1 part Cashew powder.Mix well.To the other part add pista powder and green food coloring.
6) Roll out the Kaju mixture into rectangle on wax paper.Apply butter to the paper.
7) On top of that, place the Pista mixture log and roll out with a buttered rolling pin.
8) Make a 'log' by folding from both sides.It should look like green cylinder covered by white layer.
9) Decorate with Silver leaf or pista pieces.
10) Cut horizontally into 1-1 and 1/2 inch pieces.
11) Store in refrigerator.
These will surely make your Diwali 'extra' special!!
Thank you for this recipe! I think this recipe is the closest you can get to the ones they sell in the shop. I've tried the syrup recipes and they don't have that moreish texture and flavour that the abundant amount of mawa used in this recipe gives. You'll be safer sticking to this recipe. Thank you so much, I've been wanting to make this for a long time. I'll be using real mawa for the pedhas though.
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