Kaju Katli (Cashew Fudge)
📝 Ingredients:
- 2 cups cashew nuts (kaju)
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- Saffron strands or cardamom powder (optional, for flavor)
- Silver vark (chandi ka warq) – optional, for decoration
👩🍳 Method:
1. Prepare Cashew Powder
- Dry cashews should be at room temperature.
- Grind them in a mixer to make a fine powder.
- ⚠️ Don’t over-grind, or they will release oil and turn pasty.
2. Make Sugar Syrup
- In a pan, add sugar + water and heat on medium flame.
- Stir until sugar dissolves completely.
- Cook until you get a 1-string consistency (if you take syrup between two fingers, it should stretch like a single thread).
3. Mix Cashew Powder
- Lower the flame and add the cashew powder to the sugar syrup.
- Stir continuously so no lumps form.
- Cook until the mixture thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan (soft dough consistency).
- It should not be too dry or sticky.
4. Shape the Kaju Katli
- Transfer the mixture to a greased plate or butter paper.
- Add a little ghee and knead lightly while it is still warm.
- Roll it out evenly with a rolling pin (about ¼ inch thick).
- Apply silver vark on top (optional).
- Cut into diamond-shaped pieces using a sharp knife.
5. Serve & Store
- Cool completely before serving.
- Store in an airtight container – stays fresh for 7–10 days at room temperature.
🌟 Tips:
- Always grind cashews in short pulses to avoid oil release.
- Perfect Kaju Katli should be soft, melt-in-mouth, and not chewy.
- If mixture hardens while rolling → add 1–2 tsp of warm milk, mix, and roll again (but shelf life will reduce).
✨ That’s it! Your delicious, homemade Kaju Katli is ready 🪔🎉