Kalakand / Milk Fudge

 Indian milk fudge made with condensed milk and cottage cheese.

 Kalakand is a traditional Indian sweet .The traditional way of making this sweet is very time consuming,but using paneer/cottage cheese make it easy and quick,instead of making paneer at home,you can also use readymade fresh paneer. For potluck party I have to make kaju katli from Nivedita's blog but as i have alredy posted that in my blog so made this.This sweet is soft and grainy in texture.Crumbled cottage cheese and condensed milk is cooked together,few nuts and cardamom are added at the final stage and a delicious sweet is ready to serve.

Preparation time-15 minutes
Cooking time-approx 20 minutes
Yields- approx 24 pieces

INGREDIENTS-

• Full fat milk-2 litre
• Condensed milk-400 ml
• Milk powder- 3 tbsp
• Citric acid/tatri-1/2 tsp*
• Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp
• Pistachio /almonds-15
• Silvar leaf/vark-3(optional)

POCEDURE-

1. In a heavy bottom pan add milk and let it come to a boil.
2. Mix citric acid in 1.5 tbsp of water and mix well.
3. When milk start boiling add the dissolved citric acid in it.
4. Cook on low flame till the milk curdle completely.
5. Put a muslin cloth over a stainer and strain the curdled milk in it.
6. Wash it well with fresh water to remove all the traces of citric acid .
7. Tightly tie the cloth and put some weight over it to strain the whey.wait for around 15 minutes.
8. In a nonstick pan or heavy bottom pan add the condensed milk and heat it for a minute.
9. Add crumbled paneer(no need to mash the paneer,just crumble it) in it and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes .
10. Keep stirring the mixture otherwise it may stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
11. Now add milk powder and cook till the mixture started to thicken and started leaving the pan and looks lumpy like a dough.
12. Add chopped pista and cardamom powder.
13. Spread the mixture in a greased plate and level it with a greased spatula.
14. The thickness of kalakand should be around 1/2 inch .
15. Apply silvar vark or sprinkle some chopped nuts over it.
16. Let it set for minimum 25- 30 minutes.
17. Cut into pieces and serve.

NOTE-
You can also use vinegar or lemon juice to curdle the milk instead of citric acid .
Can also add some rose water or kewra water instead of cardamom powder.

sending to Jagruti's cyber party