Milk is one of the most delicious bases for making confectionery, and different cultures have found ways of their own to create a glorious array of tempting delicacies. The milk itself can be used in various stages – fresh, dried or evaporated – and the type and form of milk is important for the result. Fresh milk, for instance, will make good sweets and fudges, but when some of the moisture is allowed to evaporate, it becomes creamier and fuller tasting. Reducing it further, to a dough-like texture much loved by Indians, it becomes sublimely rich. Don’t worry, you won’t be asked to do this! There are shortcuts and tricks to create the effect without the lengthy procedures that are usually involved.
Each recipe specifies what type of milk to use. These are: fresh full-cream milk, dried (powdered) milk, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. In some cases, paneer, a soft fresh cheese is required.
The recipes all state what kind of sugar you should use, and success and timing both depend on that. Try not to interchange. In Europe we have less choice in sugars than in the United States. In the case of granulated and caster, these recipes have been tested with the common beet product available in the average supermarket. Demerara is, of course, the delicious hard golden brown cane sugar from my homeland, now produced in other countries. Nostalgia aside, it gives excellent results and is more stable and predictable than beet sugar. Whatever sugar you are using, allow it to dissolve properly for the best results.
This is a clear liquid with the consistency of treacle. It inhibits the formation of crystals, giving a smooth and silky texture to fudge. It is highly recommended and can easily be bought in the baking section of large supermarkets and online.
An accurate sugar thermometer is highly recommended for consistent results in fudge making. See p.22 for more information, as well as how to test manually.
I find that milk sweets with a high proportion of liquid to sugar, such as Indian-style sweets, can be nerve-wracking if one relies on the sugar thermometer. This is the reason why I tell you what to look for instead. With these sweets, I have often had the mixture reach the desired consistency before the correct stage has been indicated by the thermometer, with lots of dancing and skipping of the mercury in between. Common sense is your best guide and more soothing to the nerves. Each recipe specifies the desired consistency and characteristics. Have a bowl of very cold water standing by and pour a little of the mixture into it; wait for it to settle and press together to see if it forms a soft ball, the first stage of proper setting. If it falls apart before you can press it together, it needs more time. For background information on Indian sweets, see section 'Milk, a truly devine ingredient'.
Always use a heavy-based saucepan in the size specified for milk mixtures. Even constant stirring will not prevent the contents from burning in a thin saucepan. Use the size specified, even though the ingredients appear to be so little. The mixture bubbles and swells from time to time, so you will need the space. Where a small saucepan is specified, using a large one can mean that the thermometer will not give an accurate reading as the level of liquid is too low. Non-stick pans are fantastic for sticky and doughy mixtures; this is usually indicated in the recipe.
Fudge mixtures take quite long to cook to the desired consistency, so make sure you have at least 45 minutes at your disposal. To stir or not to stir is a question to which there is no simple yes or no answer. It depends on the proportion of sugar to milk, the heat and the pan itself. If you don’t stir, the texture will usually be finer. But as the mixture can also stick and burn quite easily, stirring is recommended in many cases. If you follow the instructions given in the individual recipes and do not deviate from the list of ingredients, you can expect what is promised. If not, you’ll have to take your chances as to the outcome. As a rule of thumb, fudge mixture in a very heavy-based saucepan can be left undisturbed for the first 10 minutes, but it becomes trickier after that. Use a flat-edged wooden spatula that scrapes the base well and enables you to get into the corners. Spoons are less effective.
Most people like their fudge nice and thick. The tin you use will determine the thickness. For instance, large loaf tins measuring about 23 x 11 cm/9 x 4½ in at the base will give a lovely chunky thickness, 30 x 10 cm/12 x 4 in will give a fairly thick fudge. A 20 x 20-cm/8 x 8-in square tin, which most people have in their kitchen, will give a thin layer. Whatever tin you use, it will still be delicious, so treat this information as a guideline. Lining the tin makes unmoulding easier. A trick to decrease the size of your 20 x 20 cm/8 x 8 in tin: line it with baking parchment or foil; never use greaseproof paper, as the heat will make it stick to both pan and mixture. Bring one end up 5 cm/2 in from the side of the tin and fill the empty space with scrunched up paper or foil. If you want a perfect edge, cut a piece of cardboard and position it between the lining and the filling material.
This is my standard recipe for good old-fashioned fudge. I like to add walnuts, but you can leave them out if you prefer. The liquid glucose is highly recommended, but you can still make the fudge without it; it will just be a little less smooth in texture.
Makes 18 thick squares
50 g/1¾ oz/3½ tbsp butter, flaked, plus extra for greasing (optional)
450 g/1 lb/2¼ cups granulated sugar
250 ml/9 fl oz/scant 1 cup evaporated milk
25 g/1 oz liquid glucose
scant ¼ tsp salt
¾–1 tsp vanilla extract
75–100 g/2¾–3½ oz/¾–1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Put the sugar, milk and liquid glucose in a large heavy-based saucepan and stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar completely, then increase the heat to medium. Once it comes to a rolling boil, attach a sugar thermometer if you are using one, and lower the heat. Leave the mixture to boil, stirring gently with a wooden spatula for the first 10 minutes or so, then more energetically as it starts to thicken. Make sure that you keep on scraping the bottom and corners of the pan, and shift the thermometer from time to time to get in behind it. Leave it to boil to 112°C/234°F (just passing from thread to soft ball stage).
Take the saucepan off the heat and remove the thermometer. Add the flaked butter and sprinkle on the salt, and leave it for a minute or two until the butter melts. Add the vanilla and beat vigorously for about 2–3 minutes, then stir in the walnuts thoroughly and scrape the mixture out into the loaf tin. Level the surface and leave to set.
As soon as the fudge is firm enough, mark it into squares and unmould when completely set. It will keep for at least 2 weeks, but gets harder after a few days.
Pecan Caramel Fudge
Makes 24 squares
300 g/10½ oz/1½ cups demerara sugar
125 g/4½ oz/½ cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
200 ml/7 fl oz/generous ½ cup evaporated milk
50 g/1¾ oz liquid glucose
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter, flaked
scant ¼ tsp salt
50 g/1¾ oz/1¾ squares good white chocolate, finely chopped
½ tsp vanilla extract
75 g/2¼ oz/½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Line a large loaf tin with baking parchment for a thick layer.
Put the sugars, milk, liquid glucose, butter and salt into a large heavy-based uncoated saucepan and stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter, then increase the heat slightly to medium. Once it comes to the boil, attach the sugar thermometer if you are using one, and lower the heat. Leave it to boil to 112–114°C/230–237°F (soft ball stage), stirring occasionally for the first 10 minutes and constantly and gently after that.
Take the saucepan off the heat and remove the thermometer. Scatter in the white chocolate and leave to stand for 2–3 minutes to melt the chocolate and reduce the temperature slightly.
Stir in the vanilla and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon for a minute or so to blend in the chocolate. Use a hand-held stick blender (best tool for the job) or hand-mixer and beat well for a minute. If you don’t have either of these implements, beat very vigorously by hand for 4–5 minutes.
Stir in the pecans thoroughly, scrape the mixture out into the loaf tin and level the surface. Mark into squares when partially set, cutting all the way to the bottom. Unmould when completely set. It will keep for at least 2 weeks, but gets harder after a few days.
Preserved Ginger and Orange Fudge
Stem ginger, the kind that comes in olive-sized chunks in jars with syrup, gives this fudge a pleasant kick. If some of your eaters don’t care for ginger, sprinkle it over the top of part of the fudge instead of stirring it into the mixture. That way, you’ll be able to satisfy both factions. For the best flavour, leave it to mature for a day before eating. The ginger will be quite potent when just set, but will mellow nicely by the following day.
Makes 18 thick squares
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter, flaked, plus extra for greasing (optional)
40 g/1½ oz candied orange peel
30–40 g/1–1½ oz stem ginger (in syrup), drained
400 g/14 oz/2 cups granulated sugar
150 ml/5 fl oz/generous ½ cup evaporated milk
50 ml/1¾ fl oz/scant ½ cup full-cream or 2% milk
35 g/1¼ oz liquid glucose
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp vanilla extract
rounded ¼ tsp ground cardamom
Grease or line a large loaf tin with baking parchment.
If the orange peel has a white, sugary coating, rinse with warm water and pat dry. The sugar crystals will give a grainy texture. Chop the orange peel to the size of an orange pip or corn kernel. Chop the ginger half that size and set aside.
Put the sugar, milks, liquid glucose, butter and salt into a large heavy-based uncoated saucepan and stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter, then increase the heat slightly to medium. Once it comes to a rolling boil, attach the sugar thermometer and lower the heat. Leave the mixture to boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spatula for the first 10 minutes or so, then constantly and increasingly more energetically as it starts to thicken. Make sure that you keep on scraping the base and corners of the pan, and shift the thermometer from time to time to get in behind it. Leave to boil to 112°C/234°F (just passing from thread to soft ball stage). This can take up to 30 minutes from the time it comes to the boil.
Take the saucepan off the heat and remove the thermometer. Stir in the vanilla and cardamom. Use a hand-held stick blender (best tool for the job) or hand-mixer and beat well, for just over a minute with the stick blender, or 2 minutes with the mixer. If you don’t have either of these implements, beat very vigorously by hand for 4–5 minutes. Stir in the ginger and orange peel thoroughly, then scrape the mixture out into the loaf tin and level the surface. Mark into 18 squares when partially set, cutting all the way to the bottom.
Unmould when completely set and store in an airtight container for a day before eating.
This fudge is soft-textured and can be made to suit your taste, as the cocoa content of your chocolate will determine its flavour. One with about 55% cocoa solids will obviously be less intense than one that has 85%. The walnuts are optional, so leave them out if you prefer, or substitute coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts. The specified tin will make a nice thick layer that can be cut into small cubes, which can be put into paper or foil cases for an attractive presentation.
Makes at least 24
50 g/1¼ oz/3½ tbsp butter, flaked, plus extra for greasing (optional)
500 g/1 lb 2 oz/2½ cups granulated sugar
300 ml/10 fl oz/scant 1¼ cups evaporated milk
100 g/3½ oz/3½ squares dark chocolate (e.g. 70% cocoa solids), coarsely grated or very finely chopped large pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
75 g/2¾ oz/¾ cup untoasted walnuts OR toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
Grease or line a large loaf tin with baking parchment for a thick layer.
Put the sugar, milk and butter into a large heavy-based uncoated saucepan and stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter, then increase the heat slightly to medium. Once it comes to the boil, attach the sugar thermometer and lower the heat. Leave the mixture to boil to 110°C/230°F (thread stage), stirring gently from time to time so that it does not catch. Cooking it all the way to soft ball stage will harden the texture unnecessarily; the chocolate will help it to set.
Take the saucepan off the heat and remove the thermometer. Scatter the chocolate over the mixture and leave to stand for a minute or two. Give it a stir to distribute the chocolate and leave to stand for another minute or two. Stir in the salt and vanilla and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Stir in the walnuts or hazelnuts, if using, and scrape the mixture out into the loaf tin. Level the surface and leave to set.
Unmould it as soon as it has set and cut into cubes. It will keep for at least 2 weeks, but gets harder after a few days.
This soft-set fudge was a childhood staple and I deliberately don’t call it peanut butter fudge. The amount of peanut butter is quite small, improving the texture and adding a slight nuttiness without coming to the foreground. Growing up on a plantation is like being part of a large extended family and there is never Mr This or Mrs That, only Aunties and Uncles. Auntie Bernice and Uncle Bernie (really!) had no offspring of their own and lavished time and affection on all the plantation children. As if by magic, the most beautifully decorated birthday cakes appeared for our parties and sweet treats were always forthcoming. Auntie Bernice’s fudge had something special and at the time we never bothered to analyse it, we simply ate and enjoyed it. Years later, as she watched her mother-in-law prepare the original recipe, my sister figured out that it was the peanut butter, a fairly unobtrusive amount of it. Because of the large proportion of milk to sugar, it is best made by sight and feel, so you don’t need a sugar thermometer, just patience and a good spatula.
Makes 24 squares
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing (optional)
350 g/12 oz/1¾ cups demerara sugar
350 ml/12 fl oz/generous 1¼ cups evaporated milk
50 g/1¾ oz/scant ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
¾ tsp vanilla extract
Grease or line a medium loaf tin with baking parchment.
Put the sugar and milk in a large heavy-based uncoated saucepan and stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar completely. Increase the heat slightly to medium. Once it comes to the boil, lower the heat. Leave the mixture to boil, stirring from time to time for the first 5 minutes, then more intensively as time goes by, not forgetting the sides and corners of the pan. Scrape down the sides regularly. The mixture will look granular, but that is normal. About 20–25 minutes after it comes to the boil, keep a keen eye on the mixture, as it will start to thicken. Keep stirring. After 25–30 minutes it will be very thick. Pour a little into a bowl filled with cold water. If you can press it into a soft ball between your thumb and forefinger without having it dissolve or fall apart immediately, it is ready. It will be no more than 98°C/208°F on a sugar thermometer if you use one – and this is not a typo!
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the butter, peanut butter and vanilla and beat vigorously with a wooden spatula for 2 minutes, then transfer the mixture to the loaf tin. Level the top quickly and leave to set before cutting into small squares. It will keep for 10 days, but note that it is a very soft confection, far softer than traditional fudge.
Tablet is very similar to fudge, but it has a grainier texture. I would call it sandy, but in a good way, as this characteristic actually allows it to dissolve on the tongue, leaving a very rich and creamy aftertaste. This one is quite pale in colour and is good plain. If you feel you must add to it, crystallised ginger, dried figs, candied orange peel or nuts will work well. This might sound like a modern idea, but tablet’s documented history can be traced back at least to the early eighteenth century. It was made from a simple base of mainly sugar and water, but with flavourings such as fresh oranges, rose, cinnamon and ginger. Today, instead of water, much of the liquid consists of various mixtures of milk, cream and condensed milk. See ‘Borstplaat’ on p.107 for a Dutch variant to tablet.
Makes 18 squares
50 g/1¾ oz/3½ tbsp butter, flaked, plus extra for greasing (optional)
400 g/14 oz/2 cups caster sugar
100 ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup milk
175 g/6 oz/½ cup condensed milk
½–1 tsp vanilla extract
Grease or line a large loaf tin with baking parchment.
Put the sugar, butter and milk in a large heavy-based uncoated saucepan and stir over very low heat to dissolve the sugar completely. This takes a good 10 minutes or so, but be patient; it makes a difference to the texture. Increase the heat slightly and when it comes to a rolling boil, stir in the condensed milk and bring to the boil again. Attach a sugar thermometer to the pan and lower the heat. Leave the mixture to boil, stirring gently but thoroughly with a wooden spatula while it cooks. It is quite a lively mixture and it will bubble and seethe merrily. Make sure that you keep on scraping the bottom and edge of the pan, and shift the thermometer from time to time to get in behind it. Leave to boil to 114°C/237°F (soft ball stage).
Take the saucepan off the heat and remove the thermometer. Add the vanilla and whip with a hand-held stick blender for about 2 minutes (3 minutes with a hand-held mixer) or beat vigorously for at least 5 minutes with the spatula. Pour immediately into the loaf tin. It will be quite liquid. Level the surface and leave to set.
As soon as it is firm enough, mark it into squares and unmould when completely set. It will keep for at least 2 weeks.
It is no secret that the exalted status enjoyed by the cow in India is largely due to the creature’s ability to produce wonderfully nourishing milk in addition to other useful items that can be used as fuel, fertiliser and the like. Dairy products have been known in the Indus valley since at least 2500 BC and have traditionally been used by all of the religions that make up the population of the subcontinent: Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Buddhists.
Although cows’ milk was predominant in the past, milk from other animals was also valued, both as food and as a remedy for a number of ailments. Milk from goats and donkeys was supposed to be good for infants, while rarer antelope’s milk was a remedy for bronchitis. Sheep’s milk alleviated both bronchitis and gout and mare’s milk was known to be strengthening. Over the ages, milk has been used as a drink and to make desserts, porridges and confections. The cream gives butter, usually clarified to make rich ghee, which will keep far better in a warm climate, and the resulting buttermilk makes a refreshing beverage. Yogurt and other curds made by light fermentation are still a cooling element in fiery southern Indian food. When cut with an acid agent, milk curdles and produces soft cheese-like paneer, which is eaten in savoury preparations or used to make all kinds of delicious sweets. This cutting of milk is surrounded by a faint shroud of mystery, as it was supposedly prohibited by Hinduism; by all accounts, the technique was introduced by the Portuguese and has been accepted practice ever since, leading to an even greater diversity in milk-based sweets.
We might consider dried, evaporated and condensed milk to be modern convenience foods, but Indians have long practised all kinds of milky arts. Jains, who were required by their religion to strain the milk through a muslin cloth before use, took to soaking lengths of muslin in milk and drying it, then reconstituting it as needed. Others have perfected techniques to concentrate the goodness found in milk to make sumptuously rich and delicious delicacies. It is not a random process and each stage is intended for a specific use. The milk can be reduced to half, one-third, one-sixth or one-eighth of its original volume. When only one-eighth remains, it is almost unrecognisable from its original state and becomes more of a dough in which the sugar has caramelised gently to produce a sweet undertone. This is the product that is prized by sweet makers and it is known by several names, chiefly khoa, khoya, mava or mawa. In India, where there is an abundance of good professional sweet-makers, many people will just pop out and get some tasty ready-made titbits. Home cooks who want to make a particular delicacy involving khoa can also step into a shop and buy it. Modern cooks, especially those living outside of India, often concoct mixtures of powdered and condensed milks, mixed with solids such as paneer, to dispense with the need for khoa, and the results can be very effective.
Copious quantities of sweets are eaten in India, and many of those involve dairy products in some form. Even gods have a special attachment to both milk and sweets. Krishna, often depicted as a chubby blue-skinned urchin, is described as being the bane of milkmaids’ lives because he stole their milk and curds, leaving trails of broken and overturned pitchers in his wake; he was also known to be partial to sweets such as the fudge-like pedas. Ganesh, the elephant-headed god of ample girth, had a great weakness for sweets of all kinds, and is generally portrayed holding a sweet in one hand. Temple offerings include ghee, milk and sweets and they are incorporated into countless Hindu rituals. Ayurvedic medicine even prescribes certain sweets as a form of medication in a few cases and special herbs and spices are added to make them beneficial to specific groups, such as nursing mothers or convalescents. Eaten as a snack or dessert, Indian sweets are the loveliest kind of indulgence, and definitely worth the effort involved. Making them yourself means that you will be able to ensure that the best quality products are used. They steadfastly remain one of my many weaknesses.
Subcontinental Indians most often speak of ‘peda’ and Guyanese Indians prefer ‘pera’; it is one of the most popular members of the family of fudge-like sweets. While Indian versions are very soft and often enriched with nuts, the Guyanese kinds vary from hard caramel-coloured balls to softer discs kept moist and white by the addition of powdered milk. I remember very well the older version my grandmother used to make, using fresh milk from her own cows, cooked slowly in a cast-aluminium wok we call a ‘karahi’, until it became thick, with wood smoke from the clay fireplace and rich creamy aromas mingling freely. Then she scooped it up with a spoon and formed small balls between her palms, dipping them in cold water at frequent intervals to relieve the heat – I would say pain – from the mixture. In spite of all the care and love that went into that kind, I still prefer the softer type and this recipe is a hybrid of my own, combining Indian influences with the way my mother makes hers.
Makes 32 balls or discs, or 24 squares
butter, for greasing
400 g/14 oz/2 cups demerara sugar
350 ml/12 fl oz/generous 1⅓ cups evaporated milk
75 g/2¾ oz/generous ½ cup full-cream powdered milk
75 g/2¾ oz/generous ½ cup finely ground pistachios
100 g/3½ oz/generous ¾ cup finely chopped pistachios (if making balls)* OR whole pistachios to decorate squares and discs
* For the best effect, chop the pistachios finely and sift out any powder, or the powder will coat the balls and prevent the larger pieces from sticking.
Grease a 30 × 10-cm/12 × 4-in rectangular tin, such as a large loaf tin if making squares OR a shallow bowl and a large flat plate if making discs and balls.
Put the sugar and milk in a large heavy-based uncoated saucepan and stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar completely, then increase the heat slightly to medium. Once it comes to the boil, lower the heat a little and leave to boil until it thickens and darkens slightly, stirring occasionally at first and continuously as it thickens. Leave to cook for 20–25 minutes from the time it comes to the boil, but start keeping a closer eye on it after 15 minutes or so. It has reached the correct consistency when you can see the base of the pan as you stir the mixture. This means that when you pull the spoon across the bottom of the pan, the mixture does not immediately cover the base again as it did when it was thinner. Note that the mixture itself will still be fairly runny and may even look slightly grainy. Remove the saucepan from the heat and beat in the powdered milk, followed by the 75 g/2½ oz/generous ¾ cup ground pistachios. Beat vigorously for 3–4 minutes; it should thicken, making it more and more difficult to beat.
Pour the mixture into the tin if making squares. Press a whole pistachio into each square before a thin skin forms, or it will wrinkle. Mark the block as soon as it sets sufficiently.
For discs and balls, pour the mixture into the shallow bowl. Leave the mixture to become firm enough to shape, then dip up a small dessertspoonful and shape into a ball between greased palms. Put the chopped pistachios in another shallow bowl and roll the balls around to coat with the nuts. For discs, simply flatten the balls into thick discs and decorate immediately with a whole pistachio. Arrange on buttered plates and leave to dry for an hour or so before covering with clingfilm.
Serve at room temperature and eat within a few days. I freeze them too, with no noticeable loss of flavour. In that case, pack them into sturdy containers, with baking parchment or greaseproof paper between the layers.
Gram Fudge
Chickpeas are an extremely popular food in India, both whole as a pulse and in flour form. Whole, they are made into delicious curries or re-fried with fragrant spices to make a drier dish. Gram (chickpea) flour is also widely used to create an array of spicy savoury snacks, from simple soft-textured fritters such as ‘vada’ to crisp ‘sev’, deep-fried sticks made from a well-seasoned batter. And amazing though the thought may seem to the uninitiated, gram flour is used to make delectable confectionery. It provides both texture and flavour, with an attractive background nuttiness that is enhanced by toasting the flour before use.
This easy Indian sweet is high on my list of favourites and I find it hard to stop at one piece. It is neither too sweet nor over-rich. Recipes vary and some traditional ones can be quite complicated, requiring many steps and ingredients. This one is very simple and can be whipped up in less than half an hour to satisfy a sudden craving. It also keeps well for several days. Get your chickpea flour from an Indian grocer (where it is called ‘besan’) if you can. It will be fresh and cheap.
Makes about 15 pieces
125 g/4½ oz/9 tbsp (generous 1 stick) butter
250 g/9 oz/2¾ cups gram/chickpea flour (besan)
¼ tsp ground cardamom
300 g/10½ oz/1 cup sweetened condensed milk
slivered pistachios, flaked almonds or silver leaf, to decorate
Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan or wok, add the gram flour and fry over medium heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula. The flour should darken slightly and the raw and sharp smell you start out with will change to a pleasant, nutty aroma. Don’t skimp on this step, or your fudge will have an undercooked taste instead of the intended nuttiness. The texture will change from large lumps to fine breadcrumbs. Lower the heat slightly and immediately stir in the cardamom and condensed milk with a silicone spatula, scraping down the sides to ensure even cooking and absorption. Keep stirring until the mixture holds its shape and looks like soft pastry. It will take only a minute or two to reach that stage and overcooking will give a drier texture.
Scrape the mixture out onto a sheet of baking parchment and shape it into a slab, about 15 × 20 cm/6 × 8 in and 2 cm/½ in thick. If using nuts, press them into the surface. If using silver leaf, cover the entire surface or apply it randomly in small pieces.
Cut the fudge into diamonds or squares and serve at room temperature.
Leftovers will keep in a cool place in an airtight container for several days.
Paneer for sweets
‘Paneer’ is a soft fresh Indian cheese that forms the basis for many milk sweets as well as savoury dishes. For sweet-making, it is usually drained and used almost immediately, but savoury preparations, especially those that involve cubing and frying, require the cheese to be pressed overnight to compress it. It is very simple to make at home and there is minimal work involved: whole milk, lemons and some patience and you’re in business. Use pasteurised milk, not sterilised ultra heat treated (UHT). The latter is often stabilised to such an extent that it will not curdle as desired. Besides just curdling the milk, the lemon adds a delicious tang that cuts the richness of sweets made with this ‘paneer’.
Recipe I will make just over 200 g/7 oz; Recipe II will make scant 250 g/9 oz and Recipe III will make about 325 g/11½ oz. Actual yield depends on the creaminess of the milk you use. I prefer to have a little left over rather than risk not having enough.
RECIPE I
1.25 litres/2 pints/5 cups full-cream milk
60 ml/2 fl oz/¼ cup fresh strained lemon juice
RECIPE II
1.5 litres/2½ pints/6⅓ cups full-cream milk
70 ml/2¼ fl oz/generous ¼ cup fresh strained lemon juice
RECIPE III
2 litres/3½ pints/8 cups full-cream milk
90 ml/3 fl oz/⅓ cup fresh strained lemon juice
Line a large sieve or colander with a piece of muslin and hang it above a large bowl.
Put the milk in a saucepan and heat it to boiling point. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. The milk will start to curdle and separate into curds and a watery green-tinged liquid, the whey. After a few minutes, when the liquid is quite clear and the curds have clumped together, pour the contents of the saucepan into the sieve. The bowl will fill up with the whey. Discard this and leave the paneer to stand for 2–3 hours (or overnight) until all possible moisture has drained out, making sure that the sieve hangs free of liquid at all times.
Once the paneer has drained properly and there is no moisture on the top, pick the muslin up and give it a twist to squeeze out any remaining liquid. The paneer can now be used for making sweets or it can be refrigerated for later. It is best used within a few days. If chilled, put it into an airtight container to avoid absorbing other smells.
‘Burfi’ comes in a range of textures and compositions and this one has a richly creamy flavour and a good body that moulds well. It is not something to be made on the spur of the moment, as you will need to prepare the ‘paneer’ a few hours beforehand, but it is certainly worth the effort. Traditional recipes call for ‘khoa’ or ‘mawa’. These are names for the same highly concentrated milk base with the consistency of a soft and sticky dough that is such a popular ingredient in Indian sweet-making. It is made by reducing milk to an eighth of its original volume, which is a time-consuming process and is usually done professionally. This recipe uses a quick shortcut with extra milk solids. Traditional decorating options stop at gold and silver leaf or chopped pistachios. A few more suggestions are given below and if you use a different option on each piece, you can create an attractive Bollywood presentation.
Makes about 12 pieces
175 g/6 oz paneer (see Recipe I, p.98)
40 g/1½ oz/scant ⅓ cup full-cream powdered milk
75 ml/2½ fl oz/5 tbsp milk
30 g/1 oz/2 tbsp soft butter or ghee
100 g/3½ oz/½ cup caster sugar
¼ tsp ground cardamom
chopped pistachios, gold or silver leaf, crystallised violets, crystallised rose petals, silver balls, etc., to decorate (optional)
Put the paneer, powdered milk and milk in a bowl and mash together until well mixed. Scrape the mixture out into a non-stick wok or large saucepan, add the butter or ghee and place over medium heat. Keep stirring the mixture to prevent it from catching and lower the heat if necessary. It will gradually change from liquid to something resembling very soft dough in 13–15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar and cardamom. Leave to stand for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves, then put it back over the heat. Keep stirring just until you see some butter separating. This will take only a minute or two. Transfer immediately to a flat plate and shape it into a neat slab, about 2 cm/¾ in thick.
Decorate as desired and leave to set; sugar decorations are best added before serving or the colour may bleed.
Serve in small squares or other shapes. Refrigerate any leftovers; well wrapped, the burfi will keep for at least a week. Bring to room temperature for serving.
‘Kalakand’ can best be described as a stovetop cheesecake. It is served in squares like fudge and makes a delicious dessert after a spicy meal or an accompaniment to a cup of tea. It isn’t as sweet to the taste as you might expect it to be with the condensed milk and has a pleasantly lemony undertone from the ‘paneer’. Once you have the ‘paneer’, it doesn’t take very long to cook. Brightly coloured pistachios or edible silver leaf make an attractive decoration.
Makes about 12–18 pieces
275 g/9¾ oz paneer
200 g/7 oz/⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk
¼ tsp ground cardamom
2 tbsp chopped pistachios OR a small piece of silver leaf, to decorate
Line a 1.25-litre/2-pint/1-quart loaf tin with baking parchment.
Put the paneer, condensed milk and cardamom in a bowl and mash together until smooth. Scrape the mixture out into a non-stick frying pan or wok and place over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent it from catching and lower the heat if necessary. Keep the sides of the pan clean with a wooden or silcone spatula. At first you will have a fairly thin and glistening mixture, but as the moisture evaporates it will gradually become thick and matte. It should take about 12–15 minutes to reach the right consistency. It will look and feel like a soft dough that stays together and the colour will be just a shade more creamy than when you started.
Scrape the dough out into the loaf tin and quickly level the top. If using pistachios, sprinkle them on and press lightly to embed. If using silver leaf, wait until it cools and sets, then press on small pieces randomly.
It will keep refrigerated for several days, but serve at room temperature, in squares.
Vermicelli cake or ‘sewain’ is Guyanese comfort food at its soothing best and despite its particular association with the Muslim holiday of Eid it is a great favourite with young and old of all religions and races. It is Mughal in origin and is one of the many foods that were taken by the Indian indentured labourers to the Caribbean, where its Indian name of ‘seviyan’ was simplified to ‘sewain’. It comes in varying consistencies, from a fairly liquid dessert that is served in bowls to the cake type that is given here, which is always considered more special than the runnier version. Although it bears a superficial resemblance to Jewish ‘lokshen kugel’ (noodle pudding), ‘sewain’ is creamier and more fragrantly spiced and it is cooked entirely on the stove.
Makes 16 generous squares
30 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing
200 g/7 oz vermicelli, preferably medium thick
1 litre/1¾ pints/4 cups milk, preferably full-cream
100 g/3½ oz/½ cup granulated sugar
30 g/1 oz/generous ⅛ cup sultanas
¼ tsp ground cardamom
⅛ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 red glacé cherries, cut into eighths
Grease a 20 × 20-cm/8 × 8-in baking tin.
Put the vermicelli in a bowl and break it up roughly. If it comes in short lengths, this step won’t be necessary.
Heat the butter in a large wide pan, ideally a non-stick wok, and add the vermicelli. Use 2 wooden spatulas to toss the vermicelli around in the butter until a few of the strands are dark golden brown and the vermicelli gives off a pleasant aroma. Pour in the milk and add the sugar and sultanas. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring gently and almost continuously, and scraping down the sides of the pan as necessary with a wooden spatula. The volume of liquid will reduce considerably. The vermicelli should be cooked through and generously coated with a thick creamy sauce.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and transfer to the tin to set.
Once it has set, it can be cut into squares to serve either lukewarm or cold. Lukewarm, the texture will be softer and creamier; and cold, it will be firmer. Both are delicious; it is a matter of personal preference. If you are not serving it within a few hours, cover it well and refrigerate. Individual portions can be warmed briefly in the microwave. It will keep for a few days, or I have also frozen it successfully for a month.
The ‘gulab jamuns’ of my childhood were made with full-cream powdered milk, but now, Indian ladies around the world seem to have switched unanimously to skimmed milk powder, on the grounds that it makes a lighter ‘gulab jamun’. While homemade versions rely on powdered milk, professional sweet makers in India tend to use the milk dough base of ‘khoa, often frying them in pure ghee, the clarified butter that is a much loved but exceedingly rich frying medium. Although some have switched to oil, purists remain undaunted by the prohibitive price of ghee and steadfastly disregard any possible connection to heart trouble. A few drops of ‘kewra’, a highly scented rose-like essence distilled from the flowers of the Pandanus tectorius, are sometimes sprinkled over the dumplings. It can be overwhelming to the uninitiated, and rose water makes an excellent substitute. ‘Gulab’ means ‘rose’ and the name translates roughly to ‘rose plums’, but this step is purely optional, as the dessert is perfect without any extra embellishment. Although they can be eaten at any time of the day with tea or coffee, they are particularly good as the finale of a spicy Indian meal when the creamy taste and fragrant syrup will soothe the palate and extinguish any residual fires lurking in your mouth.
For the milk dumplings
125 g/4½ oz/scant 1 cup skimmed milk powder
70 g/2½ oz/½ cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
⅛–¼ tsp ground cardamom (optional)
60 g/2¼ oz/¼ cup (generous ½ stick) cold butter, cubed
about 160 ml/5½ fl oz/generous ⅔ cup milk (more as needed)
corn, sunflower or peanut oil, for deep-frying (purists may use ghee)
For the syrup
375 g/13 oz/scant 2 cups granulated sugar
375 ml/13 fl oz/scant 1¾ cups water
¾ tsp lemon juice rose water, for sprinkling (optional)
The technique for the dumplings is like making pastry. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter well with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the milk and mix well with a wooden spoon or plastic scraper. It will look quite wet and gloopy, but that is how it is meant to be at this stage. Bring it together as neatly as you can into the centre of the bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave to rest for about 15 minutes while you prepare the syrup.For the syrup, put the sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Leave to simmer without stirring for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.
By this time your bowl of previously gloopy mixture should have absorbed the liquid and will look and feel like pastry. Shape the mixture into 18 neat and smooth balls and set aside. Cracks will open up while frying. If you find it impossible to shape the mixture into crack-free balls, you will need to knead in extra milk, a few drops at a time.
Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a deep pan. The oil should not be too hot, or the dumplings will darken very fast, before the centres cook. Have a roomy dish standing by. (If the dish is too small, the dumplings will bump into each other and lose their roundness.) Deep-fry the dumplings in small batches until brown and cooked through, giving them a slight nudge so that they flip over to cook on the other side. Take into account that they will expand exponentially as they cook. You can cook one first to get an idea of the cooking time, size and heat. Break it open to see if it is cooked and has no hard core. If necessary, lower the heat and prolong the cooking time for the rest. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a wide shallow dish, about 26 cm/10½ in in diameter.
When all have been deep-fried, pour the warm syrup over them. Allow them to absorb as much syrup as they can, turning them over after 30 minutes or so.
Drain them and keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve them at room temperature in small bowls, about 2–3 per portion. If you are presenting them as part of a buffet, you can put them individually in foil or paper cases. Sprinkle with rose water just before serving, if you desire.
‘Borstplaat’ is cousin to Scotch Tablet and it dates from medieval times, when sugar was a highly prized commodity and an extravagance, used sparingly (if at all) during the year as a seasoning or for medicinal purposes. In its original form of water, sugar and herbs, it started out as many other confections did: as a medicinal lozenge sold by apothecaries, perhaps for chest complaints as the word ‘borst’ means ‘chest’. For the feast of St Nicholas on 5 December, caution was thrown to the wind by those in a position to do so and sugary treats were in great demand. More than one traditional song firmly encourages good behaviour in children, with the promise of sweet treats to come: for instance, ‘wie zoet is krijgt lekkers, wie stout is de roe’: ‘sweet [children] will get delicious treats, naughty ones the stick’. ‘Borstplaat’ remains primarily a December tradition. This version is the colour of old ivory and made in a single sheet, but you will also find it in pastel colours, poured into small heart-, wreath- or animal-shaped moulds. It is made far thinner than either tablet or fudge and is also sweeter.
Makes a thin sheet about
10 × 30 CM/4 × 12 IN
300 g/10½ oz/1½ cups caster sugar
100 ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup double cream
30 ml/2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract food colouring (optional)
Generously line a large loaf tin with baking parchment or use individual small shapes.
Put all of the ingredients, except the food colouring if using, in a medium heavy-based uncoated saucepan and stir over very low heat to dissolve the sugar completely. This takes a good 10 minutes or so, but be patient; it makes a difference in the texture. Bring to the boil and attach a sugar thermometer to the pan. Keep stirring the mixture gently but thoroughly with a wooden spatula while it cooks. It is quite a lively mixture and it will bubble and seethe merrily. Make sure that you keep on scraping the bottom and corners of the pan, and shift the thermometer from time to time to get in behind it. Leave to boil to 116°C/241°F (upper soft ball going on to firm ball stage). It cooks a lot faster than either fudge or tablet.
Take the saucepan off the heat and remove the thermometer. Add any colouring now and beat vigorously for about 2 minutes with the spatula. You will feel the mixture thicken and it will start to settle and feel grainy around the sides and on the bottom of the pan. Pour immediately into the loaf tin or individual moulds. It will be very liquid. Leave to set.
As soon as it is firm enough, mark the sheet into squares and unmould when completely set, or break into shards when hard. It will keep for 2 weeks.
If you like cheesecake, you will like this Indian-style sweet, which can be called a mango ‘burfi’, fudge or cheesecake. Indians will tell you about their gorgeous Alphonso mangoes, Filipinos about Carabao, Guyanese about Buxton Spice, and so on. Those of us who live outside of mango-growing regions have to make do with what our local supermarkets offer – and a pretty poor offering it can be too, so I tried using rehydrated dried mangoes for cooking, on the basis that only the best are selected for drying in the country of origin. Taste the mangoes if you can and select a sweet kind, as there are also tarter types on the market. Neither fresh nor canned fruit will give a good result here, and there will be far too much liquid. Despite the separate steps, this recipe is quite simple.
Makes about 24 squares
butter, for greasing
160 g/5¾ oz sweet dried mangoes
100 g/3½ oz/½ cup + 50 g/1¼ oz/¼ cup granulated sugar
325 g/11½ oz paneer
90 g/3¼ oz/generous ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk flakes of dried mango, to decorate
Grease a plate or tray about 20 × 20 cm/8 × 8 in.
Rehydrate the mangoes in the microwave or on the stovetop. Put them in a bowl or saucepan and cover generously with water. Microwave on high (1000 watts) for 4–5 minutes, or heat in the saucepan until the water boils. Drain well, add 100 g/ 3½ oz/½ cup sugar and use a hand-held stick blender or food processor to make a smooth purée. Leave to cool in a bowl. It should be a very thick paste.
Stir in the paneer and condensed milk thoroughly and transfer to the non-stick saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir constantly to prevent it from catching. After about 3 minutes, add the 50 g/1½ oz/½ cup sugar and keep stirring for another 8–10 minutes or so, keeping the sides of the pan clean with a wooden or silicone spatula. The mixture is done when it looks and feels like a soft dough that stays together.
Scrape the mixture out onto the plate or tray and quickly shape into a slab, about 17 × 17 cm/6½ × 6½ in and 2 cm/½ in thick. Moisten your fingers to flatten and neaten the top. Alternatively, shape into individual rounds. Leave to cool, then chill until needed, cutting it into squares or half-moons as required.
Serve at room temperature or chilled, decorated with flakes of dried mango.
Here is one that looks similar to the Cherry Bites, but with pistachio marzipan and a ‘surprise’ chocolate filling instead. You can make the chocolate filling beforehand and keep it chilled for a day or so before using it. Be warned that the brandy gives quite a kick, so replace it with cream if you prefer. Decorate the balls with tiny pieces of gold or silver leaf, or with whole pistachios if you like, or simply wrap them in gold or green foil wrappers.
For the filling, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Warm the cream with the brandy and stir it into the melted chocolate until smooth. Leave to cool completely, then chill until firm.
Shape into 16 balls and keep them chilled or pop them into the freezer for a few minutes. If the balls are not firm enough, they will be harder to coat with marzipan and will get out of shape. If your kitchen is not cool, remove them from the refrigerator or freezer in 2 batches, as needed.
Divide the marzipan into 16 equal portions. Flatten each portion and use it to encase a ball of filling, sealing well. Roll between your palms to form a neat ball and set aside on a wire rack. Shape the rest in the same way and leave to stand uncovered at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Melt (or temper) the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and drop a ball into it. Swirl it around a little to coat well, then remove it with a dipping or dining fork, tapping the fork several times on the rim of the bowl to get rid of excess chocolate. Deposit it gently onto greaseproof paper and repeat for the rest.
Decorate as you wish and leave to set completely before removing from the paper and storing in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.
