"Treats for Diwali"- Pedha with Flower icing

It's the second day of Diwali....and it is "Padwa"..the festival of "husbands and wifes"!! I couldn't resist making these "pretty" looking Pedhas to sweeten M's  mouth after the "Ovalni"(Pooja).

To make these, I used the left over "Pedha dough"(3 minute condensed milk pedhas) from the "Pedha Diyas"(http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/11/treats-for-diwali-pedha-diyas.html) that
 I made couple days ago and made a simple butter-sugar icing to make those pretty flowers!

Ingredients:
Pedha dough (recipe below)
Icing (recipe below)
Decorating  Edible Pearls ( Bought them from 'Cake decorating section' of a grocery store)

Here is the recipe for 3 minute Pedhas:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-treats-3-minute-pedhascondensed.html
( I halved the recipe for these Pedhas)

Icing:
1/4 stick butter (at room temperature)
5tbsp powdered sugar (plus little extra)
few drops of orange color/ red and yellow color(mix 4 red to 2 yellow to make orange color)
few drops vanilla essence
Zip lock bag and icing tip

1) Mix the butter and powdered sugar till smooth and without any lumps.It should make 'icing' consistency) easy enough to be squeezed from zip lock bag.Add more sugar if needed.
2) Add the orange color and vanilla essence to the icing and mix.
3) Cut the tip of zip lock bag(small enough for the icing tip to come through). Place the icing tip inside.Fill the bag with orange icing.
4) Squeeze out icing in shape of a flower. One dot in the center and 5 dots around it.

5) Place one edible pearl in the center of each flower
6) Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

"Treats For Diwali"- Pedha Diyas

Wish You All a Very Happy Diwali 2012!!

Festival of Lights

 

What else goes 'hand in hand' as good as "Diwali and Diyas"??? After all it is called the "The festival of Lights".And so..I thought why not make my "star attraction" this Diwali...."The Pedha Diyas"!!

I used the "3 minute microwave pedha recipe" to make the basic Pedha mixture.(I used 1/4th portion of the recipe to make the Pedha dough for the Diyas.I will make regular Pedhas with the remaining mixture)
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-treats-3-minute-pedhascondensed.html


Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter+ little to butter the molds
2 cups milk powder (Use Nestle Nido if you can find)
1- 14oz can Sweetened Condensed milk
2tbsp milk with saffron

Colored Sugar( I used yellow)
Edible colors
Toothpicks

Method:
1) Bring the butter to room temperature.
2) In a microwave safe dish, mix butter, milk powder, condensed milk and flavorings of your choice.
3) Microwave for 3 mins.At each 1 min interval, mix everything together.
4) Let it cool,then form into traditional round pedhas or mold into various shapes. 
5) I molded them into "Diya" shape
6) Used a toothpick to make the 'rim' design

7) Dip the toothpick in edible color of your choice and make designs on the Diya

8) Or dip a straw in the color and make design on the Diyas

9) Pour some colored sugar in the center of the Diya

Pumpkin shaped Pedhas

'Fall' and Halloween in America ...has "Pumpkin" written all over it. The bright Orange color like the 'falling  leaves'...represents 'Fall' extremely well. With the Jack O lanterns of pumpkin ..no Halloween is complete without Pumpkins...their carvings...cookies shaped like pumpkins...cupcakes with pumpkin color and pumpkin pie. I thought...why not Pumpkin shaped Pedha???? 

I am sure everyone will love to get their hands on these cute little 'Pumpkin Pedhas' at the Upcoming Halloween Party.
For the recipe.....I used the same old 3- minute Pedha recipe ( http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-treats-3-minute-pedhascondensed.html) with few modifications-

Ingredients:
1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 can of 14 oz sweet condensed milk
1 cup+ little Dry milk powder(I used carnation milk powder)
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4tsp Saffron crushed
Liquid Food colors:( Red and Yellow color) or Orange color and green color

Method:
1)  Mix together butter, condensed milk, milk powder in a large microwave safe bowl
2) Warm 1/4 cup milk with saffron.Add to the butter, milk powder mixture.Mix well
3) Microwave for 3-4 minute total, mixing every 1 minute.The mixture will fluff up and thicken as it cooks. Remember to mix every 1 minute.
4) After 4 minutes, if it isn't thick enough to roll into Pedhas, add 2 tsp milk powder, mix. Microwave for 40 secs more.
5) Add orange color drop by drop ( If using Red and yellow to make orange...mix 4 parts red + 2part yellow to get orange color). Mix. Add more to get desired orange color if needed.
6) After cooling, knead well.Roll into small balls of equal size without cracks. You can apply butter/ ghee to your hands to prevent sticking.Slightly flatten them to get pumpkin shape. Make ridges on the sides with a small fork.
For details chk:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/09/sweet-treats-quick-and-easy-mango-pedha.html

7) Make the Pumpkin stem by slightly pinching the top.
8) Apply green color to the stem with a small brush.Draw eyes and mouth with green color with pointed brush.

Your own little Pumpkin Patch is ready and sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!!

Halloween cake that I baked few years ago:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/11/pat-cake-halloween-cake.html

"Sweet Treats" Quick and Easy 'Mango Pedha Modak"

Ganapati Bappa Moraya!!!
I am sure everyone is happy and excited to Welcome Ganapati Bappa tomorrow! Needless to say...I am too. This years crazy busy 'Ganapati Week'(With hosting Cooking Competition in Columbus, The Food stall, E's dance at the Ganapati festival, deck being built in the backyard.)....demands a Quick and Easy Modak Recipe!!!
The recipe is probably already known  to you all......the 3 minute Microwave Pedha.
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-treats-3-minute-pedhascondensed.html 

The Mango Pedha Version was also already published on thesizzlingpan.com
 http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/09/sweet-treats-quick-and-easy-mango-pedhas.html
 
I used the same recipe.....and molded the dough into Mango Pedha Modak!!!
 And NO...I did not use any molds to mold the modak.....for the tip on molding the Modak..read the recipe below....

Ingredients:  Makes 35 or more small Modaks
Note: Since the brand of milk powder, microwave oven, the glassware you use differs--- the cooking time and the amount of milk powder might have to be increased!!

1 stick Unsalted butter (at room temperature)
4-4.5 cups Milk powder ( I used non fat dry milk) --You might need more*
1 can of 14 oz Sweetened condensed milk
8tbsp of Mango pulp/ Puree
1/2tsp nutmeg powder
1/2tsp cardamom powder
Some granulated sugar to roll the Modaks

Method:
1) Mix together milk powder, butter,condensed milk,nutmeg,cardamom,mango etc in microwave safe big deep bowl
2) Microwave for 6-8 minutes total. After every minute stir the mixture. *If the mixture doesn't thicken in 6 minutes, add a little more milk powder and microwave another minute.Keep doing this till it is thick.
The mixture will fluff up in the microwave as it is cooking. It will thicken as it is cooked. Remember to stir every minute! Remember..it will thicken up more..once cooled too!
3) After it thickens enough to roll in to Modak-Pedhas, let it cool. Make into small Balls.Then pinch the top to look like Modak. Make the balls as uniform as possible so that all Modak-Pedhas look similar and like they have been molded with a mold.
Modak Molding tip:
After you have made small modak shapes, use a small fork to press line marks on the sides of the modak from all sides.

4) Place on a platter dusted lightly with granulated sugar, so that they don't stick to the platter. Store in the refrigerator.

"Sweet Treats"- Quick and Easy Mango Pedhas

My little 'A' turned TWO!!!! Like all mothers say...I am going to say...YES the time flies suppperrr fast!!! Still remember the day ....minute by minute....all that nervousness, that anxiety, that joy...those tears...those hugs...those teeny tiny toes...each and every thing is still fresh in my mind...and I hope it never fades!!!

So my little 'A' is still Teeny Tiny and not a big eater. She eats small portions and feeding her is a challenge. But just before her birthday we had been to a friends place.When my friend offered these Pedhas made my her mom in law...'A' readily took it and finished it!!! It was great joy for the mom in me!!
The very next day...it was her birthday and I made these for her...
They are super quick...3-5 minute Pedhas.....good protein due to the milk powder and amazingly tasty!!!

Ingredients:  Makes 20 or more small Pedhas
Note: Since the brand of milk powder, microwave oven, the glassware you use differs--- the cooking time and the amount of milk powder might have to be increased!!
1/2 stick Unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 and 1/2 cups Milk powder ( I used non fat dry milk) --You might need more*
1/2 can of 14 oz Sweetened condensed milk
3tbsp of Mango pulp/ Puree
1/4tsp nutmeg powder
1/4tsp cardamom powder
Some granulated sugar to roll the Pedhas

Method:
1) Mix together milk powder, butter,condensed milk,nutmeg,cardamom,mango etc in microwave safe big bowl
2) Microwave for 3-4 minutes total. After every minute stir the mixture. *If the mixture doesn't thicken in 4 mintues, add a little more milk powder and microwave another minute.Keep doing this till it is thick.
The mixture will fluff up in the microwave as it is cooking. It will thicken as it is cooked. Remember to stir every minute!
3) After it thicken enough to roll in to Pedhas, let it cool. Make into small Pedhas.
4) Roll into granulated sugar lightly. Store in the refrigerator.

"Sweet Treats"- 3 minute Pedhas/Condensed milk Pedas

Looking for a 'sweet treat' that is fast and easy??? This one is the right choice.These Pedhas are made with 3 ingredients(plus food coloring/ essences if you wish) and in the microwave oven in 3 minutes!!!! Yes, you read it right....3 MINUTES!

The other day, it was 'S's birthday and I wanted to make something sweet for her.I remembered the 'quick' pedhas 'V' and I had made together a year or too back.There are many recipes online on sites like 'Show me the Curry' and Vah-re-vah'.
Since making these 'pedhas' doesn't take much time, you can show your 'artistry' by decorating the pedhas in various ways and shapes.
(But if you have more time and want to make the 'real' thing....like the traditional malai pedhas......try these made with Ricotta Cheese-

http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/10/treats-for-diwali-ricotta-cheese.html )

For this time I had these really cute plastic/rubber trays that I use to mold the quick pedhas:

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter+ little to butter the molds
2 cups milk powder (Use Nestle Nido if you can find)
1 14oz can Sweetened Condensed milk

Flavorings:
Heart shape pedhas:

Cardamom powder
Nutmeg powder
Saffron sticks

For the Flower shape:

Rose essence
Red food coloring
Sprinkles

Method:
1) Bring the butter to room temperature.
2) In a microwave safe dish, mix butter, milk powder, condensed milk and flavorings of your choice.
3) Microwave for 3 mins.At each 1 min interval, mix everything together.
4) Let it cool,then form into traditional round pedhas or mold into various shapes. Add food coloring if desired.Decorate with saffron, sprinkles or silver foil.

"Treats for Diwali" - Ricotta Cheese Pedhas with Saffron /Kesar-Malai Pedhas

Have you ever wondered...how you crave certain things NOW...which you really did not care for much, when you were back in India?

It happens to me a lot! Many vegetables like (karela, tondali, paapdi,green bhopala etc) which actually my mom had to force us to eat when I was in India....but now..when I go to Indian grocery store...those are the vegetables I hunt for! Because we cannot find those in 'normal' American grocery stores here.Those are like 'delicacies' now! Similar goes for certain sweets like pedhas.Those were never in my 'most favorite' list in India.But now...I crave those sometimes and actually want to make those at home! I did not know, I could make those here at home.But for 'E's naming ceremony, one of friend made these and we were really surprised how delicious ..'melting in your mouth' they were!And the bigger surprise was..they were made from...RICOTTA CHEESE!

I thought that was really Cool...and immediately hunted for the recipe.Have been making these ever since for Diwali and everyone loves them..especially my 'M' who has a sweet tooth!

Ingredients:
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

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. Then roll into small pedhas and decorate with pista and almond chips.

5) The above ingredients yield about 40-55 pedhas depending on how big or small you roll them.

6) Pedhas can stay in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

7) Enjoy!


Announcement:
I'm sending this recipe to Mansi's Sweet Celebration Contest being held at Fun and Food Cafe