Kaju Katli (Diwali Sweets)

Kaju Katli Recipe –  with step by step photos. kaju katli or kaju barfi is a very popular sweet or mithai from India made mostly during festivals. Cashews are known as kaju and katli is somewhat like fudge or barfi hence the title. I have made them especially during Raksha Bandhan Festival hence posting them today. So the sister could make this home for their dear brother and vice versa on this festival. Also, before I forget to wish all my readers a Happy Rakshabandhan and Nariyal Poornima.

This happens to be one of favorite sweet and could hog a full box 🙂 as a child. Now as a grown up try to eat a quarter of the box and not more. This sweet makes me quite nostalgic always. As my father used to get 3-4 boxes of kaju katli during Diwali and we used to just finish them. Now, its very expensive sweet so people seldom now distribute them as goodies. But that doesn’t stop us from buying or making them home right.

The sweet might appear to be simple but it’s not so easy to make. It requires only 4- 5 ingredients but if you follow the recipe and instructions to the tee. I bet your kaju katli would turn out the way it has to be. I have specified below in the notes and instructions below.

Let me not boast but I got this recipe right at the first go. Now make them quite regularly but in small batches. Else we would end up gaining the unwanted calories. They are quite addictive so just go slow on them.

To make them more flavorful and look presentable have added saffron (kesar) and pistachios. But adding them is optional. Generally Indian sweet or barfi is topped with silver leaf (warak) but I didn’t have them so not added. Moreover, the way the silver leaf is prepared I don’t find them safe and healthy. So if you have the silver leaf you could top them that’s optional.

I played a small prank with my husband just pushed him to eat kaju katli. I told him they are from a nearby sweet shop. To my surprise, he believed them and asked for more. Also was zapped as he isn’t fond of kaju katli and he enjoying them made me fully satisfied. I keep playing such pranks with him and my friends hmmm small pleasures of life makes me happy 🙂 Yes I did tell him later that his wife made them home.

Let’s make Kaju Katli recipe stepwise:1

1. If you are using saffron just dry roast them for a minute before using.

2. Firstly dry grind the cashew in a coffee grinder or grinder. Grind for 20 sec and check it should be powder.

3. Ensure they are fine powder form and not doughy or wet paste.  This is an important factor for the best outcome of the sweet. If you grind too much they would end up being cashew butter as cashew would start leaving oil. So please take care of this process.

4. Heat a nonstick pan with water, rose water and sugar.

5. Mix milk powder if using now and ensure there are no lumps.

6. Once the sugar and milk powder dissolves you could add the cashew powder. You don’t have to wait until it becomes one thread consistency.

7. Also, add roasted saffron strands and chopped pistachios if using.

8. Keep stirring the mixture  until they thicken.

9. Once you see the mixture has almost become a one lump mass and leaving the edges of the pan. Don’t wait just switch off the gas as soon as it starts leaving the edges. If you over cook they might become chewy.

10. Now remove them on a dish or tray. Allow the mixture to slightly cool. Once you are able to manage the warm mixture.

11. Just grease your hand and start kneading the dough for a minute or until they look smooth.

12. You have to do this quickly as once they cool they would become firm and difficult to manage. So spread the dough on a greased tray or dish. Cover with a butter paper and then with the help of a pin roller or pav bhaji masher just spread them giving the shape of your dish or tray.

13. Ensure you don’t make them too thin. Allow to cool and place them in the fridge for 20 mins.

14. Now diagonally slice them with a greased knife into squares or diamond shape.

Serve your kaju katlis with love to your family or offering to God.

Kaju Katli Recipe and printable version below.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Kaju Katli Recipe, How to make Kaju Katli Recipe, Kaju Barfi | Cashew Fudge

 

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Easy Kaju Katli recipe with stepwise instructions.

Author: Maria@flavorsofmumbai.com

Recipe type: Dessert

RecipeCuisine: Indian

Serves: 10-12

recipeIngredient (used american measuring cup, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 1 cup cashew nut or 150 gm cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp milk powder (optional)
• ½ cup sugar or 75 gm sugar (I used organic sugar)
• 4 tbsp water + 1 tbsp rose water
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp saffron strands (optional)
• 1 tbsp pistachios chopped finely (optional)
• some oil or ghee for greasing the tray ( I used ghee)

How to make the recipe?

1. If you are using saffron just dry roast them for a minute before using.
2. Firstly dry grind the cashew in a coffee grinder or grinder. Grind for 20 sec and check it should be powder.
3. Ensure they are fine powder form and not doughy or wet paste. This is the important factor for outcome of the sweet. If you grind too much they would end up being cashew butter as cashew would start leaving oil. So please take care of this process.
4. Heat a nonstick pan with water, rose water and sugar.
5. Mix milk powder if using now and ensure there are no lumps.
6. Once the sugar and milk powder dissolves you could add the cashew powder. You don't have to wait until it becomes one thread consistency.
7. Add cashew powder and mix well.
8. Also, add roasted saffron strands and chopped pistachios if using.
9. Keep stirring the mixture until they thicken.
10. Once you see the mixture has almost become a one lump mass and leaving the edges of the pan. Don't wait just switch off the gas as soon as it starts leaving the edges. If you over cook they might become chewy.
11. Now remove them on a dish or tray. Allow the mixture to slightly cool. Once you are able to manage the warm mixture.
12. Just grease your hand and start kneading the dough for a minute or until they look smooth.
13. You have to do this quickly as once they cool they would become firm and difficult to manage. So spread the dough on a greased tray or dish. Cover with a butter paper and then with the help of a pin roller or pav bhaji masher just spread them giving the shape of your dish or tray.
14. Ensure you don't make them too thin. Allow to cool and place them in the fridge for 20 mins.
15. Now diagonally slice them with a greased knife into squares or diamond shape.
16. Serve your kaju katlis with love to your family or as an offering to God.

Notes

1.Ensure you don't over grind the cashew mixture otherwise they would become buttery.
2.Don't over-cook the mixture else they would taste chewy.
3.Adding nuts, pistachios and saffron are optional.
4.Also, there is no need to make a one thread consistency for the kaju katli recipe. Once the sugar dissolves in water just add the cashew powder.

3.5.3251