[Photographs: Nik Sharma]
Of all the vacations, Christmas stays the one I stay up for most. In my childhood family in Mumbai, India, the primary weeks of December had been completely dedicated to making ready a great deal of cookies, truffles, and sweets. The sweets had been made forward of time as a result of, just like the cashew-based milk cream recipe I’m sharing at the moment, they saved properly for a few weeks (offered they had been saved in an hermetic container), guaranteeing that there was all the time one thing scrumptious and candy round.
Cashew-based sweets are fairly widespread in India as a result of the nuts are grown within the hotter elements of the nation, just like the western state of Goa. At holidays like Christmas, Easter, or Diwali, cashews inevitably make an look in some kind or one other, whether or not it’s as cashew-based marzipans, milk lotions, kaju katli, and even as garnishes or toppings on truffles.
I like that milk lotions are one of many easiest sweets to make. They require only some components and a bit little bit of endurance, however apart from that, the trickiest aspect is understanding when the “dough” (extra precisely, a flourless taffy-like combination you will kind in a mildew) is able to knead. This can be a household recipe that I’ve tweaked fairly a bit over time, swapping out some components, tinkering with the method, and incorporating just a few ideas from my mother, who nonetheless makes this candy each Christmas.
The Key Elements
Earlier than I get to the method, listed here are just a few notes on the components:
- Milk: Sometimes, milk lotions are made with complete milk that’s been sweetened after which simmered over low warmth till it reduces to about half its authentic quantity. Nevertheless, utilizing sweetened condensed milk obviates the necessity for each this time-consuming step and the necessity to add any extra sugar.
- Cashews: You should use store-bought cashew flour on this recipe or you possibly can grind uncooked, skinned cashews at house in a meals processor. I strongly advocate buying cashew flour (out there at Amazon and lots of different on-line distributors), since grinding your personal is each labor- and time-intensive. No matter which route you select, you will need to move the bottom cashews via a fine-mesh sieve or strainer to take away any giant items. Forgo this step and your milk lotions can be gritty as a substitute of melt-in-your-mouth easy and creamy.
- Fats: Your selection of unsalted butter or ghee is used as an ingredient within the “dough,” but it surely’s additionally used to assist knead and form it, because the fats prevents the dough from sticking to your arms. Whereas the quantity of butter/ghee within the recipe is mounted, if you happen to use an excessive amount of fats for kneading and shaping, the milk lotions can find yourself being fairly oily, so attempt to keep away from utilizing any extra fats than mandatory.
- Flavoring extracts: I often use vanilla extract to taste the milk lotions, however almond extract can also be choice. In both case, I add the extract after the “dough” has been cooked sufficiently, as extracts include risky important oils, and heating them for extended intervals of time will drive most of these fragrant and flavorful oils out.
Ideas and Troubleshooting
Whereas this recipe solely has just a few steps, I wish to emphasize how vital it’s to observe the temperature of the combination of condensed milk and cashew flour as you warmth it up on the range. It should get sizzling sufficient to evaporate a number of the liquid within the condensed milk, however not so sizzling that it begins to caramelize the sugar current within the combination or begins to burn the nut flour, or else the milk lotions will tackle a toffee coloration and an acrid taste. Attempt to maintain the temperature of the combination beneath 180°F (82°C) ( instant-read thermometer could be very helpful for this!), which is able to cut back the quantity of caramelization that happens and prevents the condensed milk from seizing up.
Cautious consideration can also be mandatory with regards to figuring out when the pot of “dough” is able to be faraway from the warmth, and when the dough is prepared for kneading. That is much less a matter of cooking the combination for a set time frame than it’s taking note of visible and textural cues, for the reason that time it takes to evaporate off a lot of the water within the combination is extremely depending on how sizzling the combination is. When you handle to maintain the combination at a relentless 179°F, it would take about quarter-hour, but when the temperature is decrease than that (which may simply happen if you happen to’re taking the pot off the hob to control the temperature), the method will take far longer.
The ultimate “dough” consistency you’re in search of earlier than incorporating the butter and vanilla extract is akin to very thick creamy peanut butter. The combination will simply come off the perimeters of the pot as you stir, and it doesn’t stream a lot because it glops off the spatula into the pot if you happen to raise a few of it up. Referring to the method pictures will allow you to immensely, however there’s additionally one other approach to take a look at whether or not the dough is prepared: Take a walnut-sized piece of the new dough combination and drop it right into a bowl of ice-cold water; inside a minute, the combination can be completely chilled, at which level you should use your fingers to take away it from the water and try and kind it right into a ball. If the combination is pliable and it simply kinds a ball that isn’t very sticky, it’s prepared. If not, proceed cooking the combination and check out once more in a couple of minutes, and maintain doing so till the dough passes the ice-water take a look at.
For kneading, as a substitute of calling for kneading the dough when it’s heat (as some recipes recommend), I discover it a lot simpler to knead the dough as soon as it’s cooled to room temperature, because it’s much less sticky and requires much less fats to knead and form it into milk lotions. Once more, the extra fats you utilize for this step within the course of, the extra oily the ultimate milk lotions can be, so go frivolously when greasing each the plate the dough cools on and your arms.
The ultimate vital step right here is drying. As soon as the milk lotions are formed into bite-sized items, they should be disregarded to dry in a single day to permit them to agency up.
Instruments
I discover a heavy bottomed saucier to be a lot better than a saucepan for stirring the combination because it cooks. A non-stick pan may also be used, however once more, the heavier it’s the higher as a result of it would guarantee extra uniform and environment friendly heating of the combination.
I additionally strongly recommend utilizing a versatile silicone spatula to stir the combination, versus a picket spoon or different stirring implement, because it’s simpler to maneuver the dough because it cooks and it’s a lot simpler to effectively scrape the perimeters of the pan, which is able to cut back the possibilities of caramelization or burning.
Sometimes, silicone molds of assorted styles and sizes are used to make these treats. Nevertheless, if you happen to don’t personal any, simply form them by hand into small balls or flat discs after which prick the floor with a fork or knife to make a sample. The ultimate look of this candy is as much as you!
