Choc Khoya Kalakand-Kalakand Recipe-Diwali Sweets

I made this double-layered kalakand almost a year back with the khoya leftover after making gulab jamuns. I had about 1 cup of crumbled khoya and wasn't sure what to use it for and then saw this idea on some site, which I've totally forgotten now (apologies!).

I love milk sweets but kalakand is probably one of my favourites. Dadu's in Hyderabad sells a mean kalakand that's grainy and a single bar of it will have shades of brown depending on how much the milk has cooked. It's absolutely delicious! During Diwali every year, Google Hyderabad would give out boxes of sweets from Dadu's and I would eat the kalakand first - no sharing!

Traditionally, kalakand is made by gently adding some sort of splitting agent to milk but not letting it completely curdle. The gently curdling results in the grainy texture that's so popular in kalakand. The texture of kalakand made with mawa is a bit different and smoother but it's still delicious and takes not more than 15 mins to make. A definite win when you are making a whole suite of sweets (hah) for Diwali.

Choc Khoya Kalakand-Kalakand Recipe-Diwali Sweets

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Makes 12 pieces

Ingredients:
1 cup of grated khoya / mawa (unsweetened)
1/2 cup of sugar (adjust to taste)
1 heaping tbsp of cocoa powder
2-3 tbsp of milk
Chopped nuts for garnish

Instructions:

0. Mix the chocolate powder and milk to form a thick-ish paste. Set aside.

1. Add the grated khoya and sugar to a wide pan kept on low flame. I used brown sugar because that's all I had in hand. White sugar works well too.

2. Gently heat this through and keep mixing until the khoya thickens and starts rolling around your spatula. It will not stick to the pan anymore. This will take not more than 3-4 mins.

3. Take half of this mixture and pat it firmly at the base of a greased plate. You can use a regular steel plate or whatever you have in hand. I used my glass pie dish greased with a teeny bit of ghee.

4. Don't let the rest of the mixture sit there too long unattended! Quickly add the chocolate powder+milk mixture and stir to combine. After a min, remove.

5. Pat the chocolate mixture firmly and evenly on the previous layer.

6. Add chopped nuts (I used pistachios) and gently press so that it gets embedded into the kalakand.

7. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate for an hour before cutting into squares. Keeps well for up to a week in the refrigerator. Warm slightly before serving for maximum deliciousness.

I am on the look out for easy Diwali sweets recipes. If you have any ideas or regular ones you cook, please leave me a comment with the recipe or send me an email. Thanks! :) Also, check here for 12 easy Diwali sweets under 20 mins.

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