SWEETMEATS
Bilimbi Toffee
Bilimbi pulp 1 pound
Sugar 3-3/4 cups
Citric acid 1/4 tsp
Milk powder ½ cup
Corn Syrup ½ cup
Ghee ¼ cup
Make the milk powder into a thick paste with a little warm water. Extract the pulp out of the bilimbi after cooking in a pressure cooker. Pass through a sieve. Put the puree in a pan and cook over medium heat until the water is reduced, then add the sugar, citric acid and corn syrup. Keep stirring so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the vessel. When slightly thick, add the paste of milk powder and ghee. Continue to cook till the mixture leaves the sides of the vessel. At this point, a little bit of the mixture when slightly cool can be rolled into a ball with the fingers. Remove from the fire and transfer into pre-greased trays and allow to set. Cut into desired shapes or roll into balls and wrap into butter paper when cool.
Gajak Toffee
10 Almonds
10 Cashewnuts
20-25 Peanuts
1/2 cup Walnuts, shelled
1/4 cup White Melon Seeds, shelled (Kharbuje Ki Giri)
1 cup Sugar
1 tblsp Ghee
6 Green Cardomoms (Elaichi)
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/4 Boond Kewara Essence (or use Vanilla)
½ cup Khoya/Mewa (or fine ricotta)
Melt the sugar. Add lemon juice, khoya, kharbuje ki giri, kewara and mix in with the melted sugar to make the mixture of dropping consistency. Mix ghee in the sugar mixture. Add all the dry fruits in the mixture until they are evenly spread. Set the mixture flat in a thali, preferably on a plastic thali. Cut it into round , square or rectangular pieces. Allow it to cool or offer it while still warm.
Kaju Katri
4 cups cashews ground fine
4 cups sugar
1 cup water
Boil water on medium heat and add sugar until it turns into syrup. Make the syrup thick enough for the cashews to be mixed in it. Mix the ground cashews in the syrup then turn off the gas and pour the material on an aluminum foil sheet and roll it flat with a rolling pin into a thin layer. When it has cooled down, cut into small diamond shapes and offer.
Milk Toffee
Thick Milk (kheer) - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Almonds - 1/2 cup
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Soak the almonds in warm water for 1/2 hour. Peel and grind into a fine paste. Grind the coconut with 1/4 cup water and decant to obtain thick coconut milk. Dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup water and bring it to a boil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add the milk to this and boil continuously until it thickens. Then add the almond paste and coconut milk and stir to mix thoroughly. Reduce the heat and stir until the sweet no longer sticks to the sides of the vessel. Remove from the heat and pour over a greased plate. Cut into small bite sized pieces while still warm.
Narkoler Naru
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Full cream milk - 1/2 cup
Mix all the ingredients well. Place the mixture in a non-stick pan and cook over low heat. Keep stirring the mixture and cook it till it becomes soft and even. Now pour the mixture on a flat broad dish. Roll the mixture unto myriad shapes and sizes. (Be careful not to burn your hands!) Sweets will automatically harden on cooling.
Sri Lanka Aluwa
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups milk
14-1/2 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 oz butter
1 cup cooked mashed potato
1 cup finely chopped cashewnuts
2 tablespoons rose water
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Put sugar, milk, condensed milk and ghee into a large heated non-stick saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches soft ball stage or 116°C (240°F) on a candy thermometer. (To test for softball stage, drop a little into a cup of ice cold water. If it firms enough to be molded into a soft ball. it has reached the required temperature.) Remove from heat, add smoothly mashed potato and beat with a rotary beater until all lumps are beaten out. If using a pan with non-stick lining, pour mixture into a bowl before doing this or the metal beaters will scratch the non stick surface. Return to heat and cook to soft ball stage or 116°C (240°F) once more. Remove from heat, stir in nuts, rose water and cardamom and mix well. Pour into a well buttered shallow dish or baking tin. Press lightly with a piece of buttered banana leaf or plastic wrap to smooth and flatten the surface. Allow to cool and set, then cut into diamond shapes, and offer.
