Kalakand

Kalakand

Kalakand is a very special sweet from Alwar, Rajasthan. This is very famous all over India and Indian sub continent. Though some people say it of Arabic origin. There are two styles for preparing Kalakand. One is traditional way which is time consuming and other is quick way. Here I am sharing the quick way of preparing which will take 15 to 20 mins.

When I was a kid, I used to eat this sweet in Odisha. After I got married and came to Chennai I Crave for this sweet. So I started preparing this at home. This Raksha Bandhan I thought of preparing sweets at home. So I made Kalakand first. Then other sweets.

Here is the recipe

Milk- 1/2 lit
Vinegar- 1 1/2 tbsp
Milkmaid- 1/2 Can (tin)
Green Cardamom- 4
Sugar- 1 tbsp
Cashew- 7 to 8
Pistachio- 7 to 8

In a bowl, add 1/2 lit of milk and let the milk boil properly. When bubbles start forming in the milk add vinegar to it and let the milk split and switch off the gas. Now strain the paneer with the help of a strainer. Let it sit like this for half an hour.

Now crumble the paneer with hands.

Crush the cashews and pistachios with the help of a mortar and pestal.

In a nonstick kadai, add paneer, milk maid and sugar and mix properly.

Now put the kadai on gas. Keep the flame low to medium. Start cooking the mixture.

First it will be watery. But soon it will start to come up as a dough. It will take 15 to 20 mins.

While cooking after 10mins add green cardamom powder to it and cook again.

In the mean time grease a plate and spread a butter paper.

After the mixture firmed as dough, pour it over the butter paper. Smoothen the surface with the help of a spoon.

Now spread crushed cashews and pistachios on the kalakand and press little. Then let the hot kalakand come down to room temperature.

Then keep it in fridge for 3 to 4 hours.

Then cut the kalakand and serve.

Eggless Mango Cheesecake in the base of Eggless Vanills Cake

Mango Cheesecake

Some days back hubby had his birthday. Every year I purchase cake to celebrate this occasion. This year I thought of preparing a cake by myself. My hubby is a big fan of mangoes, so I zeroed down to mango cheesecake but I didn't want it to base on biscuit. So I made a simple vanilla cake to make it as a base to the cheesecake. Here is the recipe. 

This is a long recipe. So I am dividing this recipe in 3 parts. 

1- Preparing the Cream Cheese

2- Baking the Vanilla cake

3- Preparing the Cheesecake

 Part 1

Preparing Cream Cheese

 Milk- 1/2 lit

Curd- 5 to 6 tbsp

Salt- a pinch (optional)

Preparing the cream cheese at home is not a big deal. You have to be bit careful while preparing it and need some time.

Boil the 1/ 2 lit milk in a sauce pan up to the spilling point and switch off the gas. 

Then add vinegar to it and allow it to split. 

Spread a cheese cloth on a colander and drain the paneer. Remove all the moisture from the paneer. Keep the paneer in the fridge with colander over night.

In another colander spread another cloth and strain the curd. Keep it in fridge over night as well.

 

In morning add strained curd, paneer and a pinch of salt in a food processor and make a smooth paste. You can again strain it. But it can be used like this also. 

Any other flavour can also be added to the cream cheese to make it cheese spread.

Part 2

Baking a Vanilla Cake

Maida- 1Cup

Powdered Sugar- 1/2 Cup

Oil- 1/4Cup

Curd- 1/4Cup

Milk- 1/2Cup

Salt a pinch

Baking Powder- 1/2tsp

Baking Soda- 1/4tsp

Vanilla Extract- 1tsp

In a mixing bowl add maida, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix properly. Seive this dry items twice. This step is important. Keep aside.

Grease a baking pan and dust it with maida. Keep aside up to further use.

In another bowl add powdered sugar and oil and beat together and mix properly. Then add curd to it and mix again. Then add half of the milk and vanilla extract and beat again.

Now add dry items to the liquid in two batches. Mix it with light hand. Now add 1/2 cup of milk to it and mix.

Pour the batter in the already lined baking pan. Bake it for 180 degree Celsius in convection mode of  microwave for 25 to 30mins. It may take less or more time according to microwave oven. Keep it on a wire rack and allow to cool down. 

Part 3

Preparing Cheesecake

Mango- 3 medium

Above Made Vanilla Cake

Above Made Cream cheese

Sugar- 3tbsp

Agar Agar- 6gms

  Bring a spring form pan. Place the above made vanilla cake at the bottom of the pan. This will be the base of our cheesecake.

Peel the mangoes and make a smooth puree. Preserve 2tbsp of chopped mangoes aside.

Soak the agar agar in half cup of water.

Bring out the cream cheese from fridge. In a food processor add cream cheese, sugar and make a smooth paste. Pour the mixture to a mixing bowl.

Boil the soaked agar agar and allow it to melt.

Put the mango puree in a sauce pan and put it on heat and let it warm a bit. Then add melted agar agar to it and mix properly.

 

Now add the warm mango and agar agar mix to the cream cheese mixture.

Now pour the mixture in the vanilla cake before agar agar start to set. Smooth the above part of the Cheesecake with a knife.

 

Keep this in fridge up to the cake sets. It will take 5 to 6 hours. (I kept it for over night).

Bring out the set cheesecake from fridge and loose the side of the cheesecake pressing smoothly. Now remove the spring form pan.

Place the cheesecake on a plate and decorate it with preserved chopped mangoes, whipped cream and cherry.

Yummy cheesecake is ready on vanilla cake base.