Kalakand With Condensed Milk is a moist, crumbly, and rich dessert made with fresh soft paneer and condensed milk. This fragrant cardamom-spiced treat with its luscious, velvety texture embodies the essence of indulgent Indian milk sweets. Boasting a golden hue, this delicacy is adorned with pistachios, saffron, and silver flakes. It is a visually appealing dessert that is usually made on festive occasions and at family gatherings, and is a true celebration of Indian culture!
I love Indian desserts a lot. In fact, from my culinary experience with multi-cuisines, I believe that Indian desserts are so diverse with each state boasting several iterations and unique creations.
One of the centers of gravity in Indian cuisine is the sweet. As incredible as it sounds, I have come across over 95 major sweets that originated in India. No party, religious observance, ceremony, or a casual sit-down is complete without a sweet. It is odd that regardless of regional variations and traditions, religion, language, or social status, it is considered a sign of courtesy and good manners to offer sweets to visitors and guests as soon as they enter a home.
But what is equally astounding is that no two sweets are alike. Most recipes consist of various combinations of milk, flour, sugar, dairy, rose essences, kewra, or other flower essences, and spices, such as cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, or saffron. These sweets are adorned with almonds, pistachios, cashews, and dried fruit, and decorated with silver or gold flakes.
What is Kalakand?
One of my husband’s favorites is the modest Kalakand made with condensed milk. Kalakand in India is a moist, grainy, and creamy dessert made with fresh paneer and reduced milk but in this case, with condensed milk. You could also call it an Indian cheesecake because it has milk and Indian cheese at its heart. The story goes that kalakand was invented in the town of Alwar, Rajasthan in 1947, by Baba Thakur Dasji, and a tradition that carries to this day. There is even a Kalakand market, where people from far and wide come to taste this delectable original. Kalakand is moist and delicately sweet, unlike the burfi which is a dry, well-set fudge. The recipe below is a much quicker version made with condensed milk than the traditional time-consuming method of reducing the milk.
Customize your Kalakand With Condensed Milk:
Just as there is a dazzling array of Indian sweets, you can make varieties of the kalakand. You can alter the flavor profile of Kalakand made with condensed milk by adding:
- A few drops of essence such as Kewra, rose, or orange. This takes the bouquet of what you serve up by several notches.
- Spices such as saffron, cardamom, cloves, or cinnamon
- Dried fruits such as dates raisins, figs, or cranberries (if you’re feeling particularly eclectic)
- Nuts such as walnuts or cashews. Adding nuts, in particular, provides a textural difference and a different mouthfeel.
Making the Kalakand With Condensed Milk is much more than just a simple milk sweet. You need to view it as a milk and sugar palette where you can exercise your creativity and turn out something completely different than what is available in the shops.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Can I use store-bought paneer or ricotta cheese?
Yes, if you are using store-bought paneer, finely grate it. Using store-bought paneer that is dry and not so delicate can make the kalakand tough or rubbery. You could mix a couple of tablespoons of warm milk with the finely grated paneer (let it rest for 15 minutes) and use this mixture instead of the homemade paneer. You can also substitute fresh paneer with full-fat ricotta.
2. How to make homemade paneer?
Rambutan Paneer has step-by-step instructions on how to make paneer at home.
3. How to make condensed milk at home?
Reduce the whole milk to almost one-third the quantity, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar by stirring continuously, and turn off the heat when the milk is reduced to one-third.
4. What is the difference between paneer and khoa?
- Khoa is dried evaporated milk solids from whole milk most commonly used in sweet or Indian desserts.
- Paneer is cottage cheese made by curdling milk with lemon juice or yogurt, drained and collected in a cheesecloth. Depending on how long you drain the paneer, its consistency ranges from soft to firm. Paneer is traditionally used in Indian savories and main courses.
If you’ve tried this recipe or have questions, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to share (below) your thoughts, comments, or any questions that you might have. And if you like my recipes, you could subscribe to my mailing list for the latest recipes that will be delivered to your inbox. From my pen to your table, Bon Appetit!
Ingredients:
- Whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, crushed cardamom seeds, and lemon juice
- Garnish: saffron, pistachio slivers, silver flakes
In the spirit of exploring varieties, let me say that if you don’t have khoa, you can use Ricotta cheese to make the Kalakand With Condensed Milk. Ricotta cheese is a byproduct of making other cheeses. The whey leftover from making other cheese is reheated (ricotta in Italian means recooked) and becomes thick, grainy, creamy, and mildly sour.
How to make Kalakand With Condensed Milk:
- Prepare the chenna:
- Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot. When the milk boils, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice to curdle it. Stir until the whey separates, and then add 2 cups of cold water to the pot. Strain the chenna with the whey water in cheesecloth and run the chenna under cold water to rinse off the lemon juice. Gently squeeze most of the water until there is no more water dripping and keep it aside.
2. How to make the Kalakand With Condensed Milk:
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan, and add the condensed milk and chenna. Stir the mixture on medium heat. The mixture will become diluted and then will gradually thicken.
- Then, lower the heat and keep stirring for about 7-8 minutes. The mixture will thicken and begin to leave the sides of the pan. The mixture must not be too dry but slightly moist. Add the crushed cardamom seeds and mix well. Turn off the heat.
- Spoon the mixture into a tray (4″ x 4″ ) lined with wax paper. Smoothen the top with a palette knife ( 1/4″ thickness) and sprinkle slivered pistachios and saffron strands.
- Carefully, place the silver flakes on top using forceps and refrigerate for one hour.
- Cut into 8 rectangles or desired shapes using a ghee-greased knife between each fresh cut. Serve each piece in a baking cup.
1. Refrigerate the Kalakand With Condensed Milk right after spooning it into a lined tray for at least one hour.
2. Use a heavy-bottomed or nonstick pan to make the sweet to avoid burning or browning the paneer.
3. Rinse the chenna with cold water and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Do not wring too tightly and remove all the moisture from the paneer. Please ensure that no water is dripping from the cheesecloth bundle.
4. Do not overcook the mixture as it will become hard and rubbery in texture. The whey from homemade chenna adds moisture, making it soft and creamy.
5. If using store-bought paneer, grate it fine without any large chunks to allow it to combine well with the condensed milk.
6. Cook the mixture on low heat until it stops sticking to the sides of the pan.
Serving suggestion:
I have served the Kalakand With Condensed Milk pieces in baking cups garnished with saffron, pistachios, and silver flakes. Feel free to use silver sheets or omit them. It can be served for dessert or with tea or coffee and some savories.
Storage:
Kalakand With Condensed Milk tastes best when consumed the same day. You could refrigerate it for 3 days in an airtight box or freeze it in a box with wax paper between slices for 2-3 months.
Other dessert recipes that you might like:
Kalakand With Condensed Milk
Equipment
- nonstick pan, stovetop
Ingredients
For the chenna:
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
For the Kalakand With Condensed Milk:
- 7 oz condensed milk (can)
- 1 tbsp pistachio slivers
- 3 pod cardamom seeds
- a few Silver flakes
Instructions
Prepare the chenna:
- Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot. When the milk boils, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice to curdle it. Stir until the whey separates, and then add 2 cups of cold water to the pot. Strain the milk solids with the whey water in cheesecloth and run the chenna under cold water to rinse off the lemon juice. Gently squeeze most of the water until no more water is dripping from the cheesecloth bundle and keep it aside.
How to make the Kalakand With Condensed Milk:
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan, and add the condensed milk and chenna. Stir the mixture on medium heat. The mixture will become diluted and then will gradually thicken.
- Then, lower the heat and keep stirring for about 7-8 minutes. The mixture will thicken and begin to leave the sides of the pan. The mixture must not be too dry but slightly moist. Add the crushed cardamom seeds and mix well. Turn off the heat.
- Spoon the mixture into a tray (4" x 4" ) lined with ghee-greased wax paper. Smoothen the top with a palette knife ( 1/4" thickness) and gently press down. Sprinkle it with slivered pistachios and saffron strands.
- Carefully, place the silver flakes on top using a forceps and refrigerate for one hour.
- Cut into rectangles or desired shapes using a ghee-greased knife between each fresh cut. Serve each piece in a baking cup.
Video
Notes
- Use only whole milk or full-fat ricotta cheese.
- Clean the knife before slicing each time or grease it with clarified butter before slicing.
- Add a few more drops of lemon juice if the milk has not curdled.
Nutrition
One of my fav desserts 🙂
sweetened condensed milk saved me so much time!
This is so tasty!