Kalakand is a creamy and delicious mouth-watering milk cake or Indian cheesecake with a soft and grainy texture that is a perfect treat for any special occasion. This is one of the easiest sweet recipes to prepare and requires only two main ingredients everything else is optional and can be varied as per your liking.
This sweet is very popular in India, and you can't get enough of it. It is mainly prepared during festivals like Navratri, Diwali, Holi, and other special occasions. With so many festivals around the corner, this dessert would be the best opportunity to show all your culinary skills.
Post-pregnancy, I have been addicted to sweets so much that dinner or lunch is incomplete without sweets or dessert for me. Is it the same with you guys? If yes, what are your favorite sweet recipes? I would love to know so that even I can try it 🙂
With an addiction to sweets, I end up preparing it at home every other day because homemade ones are always fresh, and you can have control over all the ingredients you add.
OK now back to KALAKAND...
The traditional method of making kalakand takes a very long time. The milk is simmered on low heat till it is reduced to semi-solids. With my love for condensed milk, I end up using it in most of my sweet recipes, and it works the best for most of my dessert recipes like carrot halwa, basundi and acts as a shortcut without any compromise in the taste 🙂
The two main ingredients that are required are paneer or chenna (curdled milk) and sweetened condensed milk. I have made paneer from scratch as we love fresh paneer. If you are using a store-bought paneer, then this dessert can be prepared in less than 15 minutes. Make sure that the paneer you use is soft and fresh. You have to wait a couple of hours for it to set. You can also try using ricotta cheese.
The other ingredients that I have used cardamom powder and saffron threads are for additional flavorings and roasted dry fruits for crunchiness. Make sure the pan or plate you use is slightly deep because this dessert, like fudge, is served as thick slices and not like a burfi (thin slices).
Ingredients for Kalakand Sweet Recipe
To Make Paneer (If using store-bought paneer or ricotta cheese, then use 2 ¼ cups tightly packed and crumbled)
1 gallon Whole milk
¼ cup Lemon juice
Salt, a pinch
Other Ingredients
1 can Sweetened condensed milk
¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
5 to 6 strands Saffron
2 tablespoon Pistachios, roasted and crushed
2 tablespoon Cashews, roasted and crushed
2 tablespoon Almond, roasted and crushed
How to make Kalakand Sweet Recipe at home?
Prepare Paneer (If you are using store-bought paneer or ricotta cheese, ignore this step)
Keep milk on medium heat and bring it to slow boil. Once the milk boils, switch off the flame.
Add lemon juice little by little and slowly stir till the milk curdles. Do not add everything at once because the amount you require may vary.
If the milk does not curdle or separate, then add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoon lemon juice. Let this stand for about 2 to 4 minutes.
Place cheesecloth in a colander and strain the paneer-whey mixture through the cheesecloth. You can now rinse with cold water to remove the lemon flavor.
Tie the cheesecloth with a knot and then hang it to your kitchen faucet for about 15 minutes to let all the whey drain through it.
Open the knot, and season the paneer with salt and knead it. Paneer is ready to be used for kalakand.
To make Kalakand
In a thick bottomed pan or kadai, add condensed milk and the crumbled paneer prepared above and mix well. Check the sweetness now. If you like it to be sweeter, add sugar at this point.
Keep the flame on medium to medium-low and stir this mixture often so that it does not get stick to the bottom of the pan.
The mixture thickens and starts leaving sides of the pan and forms like a mass. At this point add cardamom powder and saffron strands and mix well. Switch off the flame. See that the mixture is moist and not dry.
Setting Kalakand
Transfer the kalakand mixture to the greased pan or plate.
Tap the pan so that the mixture spreads evenly. You can also use a spoon or spatula to make sure it spreads evenly.
Sprinkle the crushed dry fruits and gently press with a spoon. Allow it to cool at room temperature and keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours as this sweet tastes the best when served chilled.
Kalakand is ready. Slice and Serve as desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- If you are not able to slice kalakand, don't worry. You can eat this like halwa, with a spoon 🙂 It tastes great anyway.
- The time it takes for the mixture to thicken may vary on the thickness of the pan and the flame at which you simmer.
- Kalakand stays fresh for 5 to 7 days when refrigerated.
While you are here, also check out
Detailed Recipe to make quick & easy Kalakand with paneer & condensed milk or ricotta cheese & condensed milk
KALAKAND SWEET | MILK CAKE | INDIAN CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
To Make Paneer (If using store-bought paneer or ricotta cheese, then use 2 ¼ cups tightly packed and crumbled)
- 1 gallon Whole milk
- ¼ cup Lemon juice
- Salt, a pinch
Other Ingredients
- 1 can Sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- 5 to 6 strands Saffron
- 2 tablespoon Pistachios, roasted and crushed (optional)
- 2 tablespoon Cashews, roasted and crushed (optional)
- 2 tablespoon Almond, roasted and crushed (optional)
Instructions
Prepare Paneer
- Keep milk on medium heat and bring it to slow boil. Once the milk boils, switch off the flame.
- Add lemon juice little by little and slowly stir till the milk curdles. Do not add everything at once because the amount you require may vary.
- If the milk does not curdle or separate, then add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoon lemon juice. Let this stand for about 2 to 4 minutes.
- Place cheesecloth in a colander and strain the paneer-whey mixture through the cheesecloth. You can now rinse with cold water to remove the lemon flavor.
- Tie the cheesecloth with a knot and then hang it to your kitchen faucet for about 15 minutes to let all the whey drain through it.
- Open the knot, and season the paneer with salt and knead it. Paneer is ready to be used for kalakand.
To make Kalakand
- In a thick bottomed pan or kadai, add condensed milk and the crumbled paneer prepared above and mix well. Check the sweetness now. If you like it to be sweeter, add sugar at this point.
- Keep the flame on medium to medium-low and stir this mixture often so that it does not get stick to the bottom of the pan.
- The mixture thickens and starts leaving sides of the pan and forms like a mass. At this point add cardamom powder and saffron strands and mix well. Switch off the flame. See that the mixture is moist and not dry.
Setting Kalakand
- Transfer the kalakand mixture to the greased pan or plate.
- Tap the pan so that the mixture spreads evenly. You can also use a spoon or spatula to make sure it spreads evenly.
- Sprinkle the crushed dry fruits and gently press with a spoon. Allow it to cool at room temperature and keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours as this sweet tastes the best when served chilled.
- Kalakand is ready. Slice and Serve as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are not able to slice kalakand, don't worry. You can eat this like halwa, with a spoon 🙂 It tastes great anyway.
- The time it takes for the mixture to thicken may vary on the thickness of the pan and the flame at which you simmer.
- Kalakand stays fresh for 5 to 7 days when refrigerated.
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Beth
I love the creamy inside with the crunchy outside of this sweet. And those green pops of color from the pistachios look so good.
Gail Montero
Love all the pistachios on top! Looks deliciously good and a must try for sure!
sapana
I love kalakand to the cores and always make it for any festival as it is one of the easiest to make. You have made it so beautiful, love the wonderful texture.
Scarlet
I have never tried kalakand but it looks so good! I can't wait to make this recipe. The nuts on the top make it look so pretty too!