Kalakand is a soft and creamy, popular Indian sweet made with milk and flavored with saffron or cardamom. This sweet is prepared during Indian festivals like Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Raksha Bandhan.
Don't miss out on checking out popular Indian burfi sweet, a list of traditional Indian sweets and desserts.
About the recipe
Kalakand, also popular as Indian milk cake or Indian cheesecake, is creamy and delicious with a soft and grainy texture. If you love Indian mithai, then you should start by making this sweet, as it is easy to prepare and requires only two main ingredients.
This Indian mithai 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. Plain white kalakand is the best and the most preferred flavor over rose or mango.
The two main required ingredients are paneer or chenna (curdled milk) and sweetened condensed milk. I have made paneer from scratch as we love fresh paneer, and it gives the best results. Ensure that the paneer you use is soft and fresh if you use store-bought ones. 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).
Traditional Kalakand with Milk
The traditional method takes a very long time. It uses milk and sugar. The milk is simmered on low heat till it is reduced to semi-solids, and then sugar is added and mixed until the mixture starts thickening. This will take a total of 45 to 50 minutes.
Ajmeri kalakand
Ajmeri kalakand is a variation of traditional version, where the difference lies in its texture and taste. Ajmeri Kalakand is light golden to brown with a more grainy texture.
Other Variations
- Other variations of making this Indian sweet are using condensed milk, milk powder, ricotta cheese, and store-bought paneer.
- With condensed milk, you can make this sweet in less than half the time, and that is what we will prepare today.
- If you are looking for more desserts with condensed milk, then check out carrot halwa and basundi.
- For milk powder desserts, check out our popular besan burfi or plain white milk powder burfi.
Ingredients
Milk: Whole milk gives the best results.
Lemon juice: Use lemon juice or yogurt to curdle the milk. Vinegar will make your mithai hard.
Condensed milk: The sweetner used to make this shortcut method.
Flavoring: Cardamom and saffron is preffered. You can add rose water if you like.
Nuts: To make it look festive (optional).
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare Paneer or Chena
(If you are using store-bought paneer or ricotta cheese, ignore this section)
- Add milk to a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat and bring it to a 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 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 (chena) through the cheesecloth. Rinse the fresh chena with cold water to remove the lemon flavor.
- Bring the ends of the cheesecloth together and tie with a knot and then hang it to your kitchen faucet for about 15 minutes to let all the whey drain through it. (Do not squeeze out all the water, as you need some moistness in your paneer if you want your mithai to be soft and moist)
- Open the knot, season the paneer or chena with a pinch of salt(optional).
How to make kalakand with condensed milk?
- In a thick-bottomed pan or kadai, add condensed milk and the crumbled paneer or chena 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 stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- At first, the mixture will be thin, but as you cook, it will thicken and starts leaving the sides of the pan and form like a mass. At this point, add cardamom powder and saffron strands and mix well. Switch off the flame. (It may take anywhere between 10 to 13 minutes approx). See that the mixture is moist and not dry.
Setting
- Transfer the 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 for 2 to 3 hours, or keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours, as this sweet tastes best when served chilled.
- Once set, cut into pieces and serve. Else, keep it refrigerated.
Tips
- If you are not able to slice, 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 depending on the pan's thickness and the flame at which you simmer. The mixture should not be dry. If you overcook it, then it will be chewy.
- I like this mildly sweet. For sweeter version, add sugar or additional condensed milk to the recipe.
- For soft kalakand, never overcook the mixture. Once the mixture forms a mass and leaves the side of the pan, simply turn off the flame and set. Overcooking will make your sweet dry and chewy.
Instant Kalakand
There are two ways you can make quick and delicious dessert.
Kalakand with Store-bought paneer
- Nothing tastes better than the one made using fresh and soft paneer or chena. But if you are short of time or want to make instant kalakand then you can use store-bought paneer.
- To make kalakand with store-bought paneer, soak the block in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes and grate or crumble it and use it in the recipe.
Kalakand with Ricotta cheese
- Add the ricotta cheese and condensed milk and cook until the mixture becomes thick and leave the side of the pan. The time it takes to reach the final stage may be a little more as the moisture content is higher in ricotta cheese.
- But this is instant as you save time making the fresh chena.
Store and Freeze
Kalakand is a milk-based dessert and tastes best when consumed fresh. Any leftovers must be refrigerated and consumed in 3 to 4 days OR Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and store in an air-tight conatiner and freeze it for 2 months. Thaw overnight before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Kalakand is a traditional Indian milk cake prepared using milk, sugar and flavored with saffron or cardamom.
Kalakand is a traditional sweet from Alwar, Rajasthan, India.
No. Burfi is a dry and well-set fudge or Indian milk-based dessert made with different ingredients and flavors. While kalakand is made using paneer and has a soft and delicate texture that is between milk cake and burfi.
Yes. The best alternative is to use paneer with condensed milk.
Yes. Kalakand is flourless, gluten-free Indian dessert.
Yes. Kalakand sweet is quick and easy to make Indian sweet enjoyed for special occasions and festivals like Diwali, Holi, and Raksha Bandhan. Navratri.
You can use sweeteners like date syrup or jaggery. Note that the flavor, cooking time, and texture will change accordingly.
More Indian sweets & desserts
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Recipe card
Kalakand Sweet Recipe | Indian Milk Cake
Equipment
- Cake pan or bread loaf pan
Ingredients
To Make Paneer (If using store-bought paneer or ricotta cheese, then use 2 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 or Chena (If you are using store-bought paneer or ricotta cheese, ignore this section)
- Add milk to a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat and bring it to a slow boil. Once the milk boils, switch off the flame.1 gallon Whole milk
- 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.¼ cup Lemon juice
- If the milk does not curdle or separate, then add 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 (chena) through the cheesecloth. Rinse the fresh chena with cold water to remove the lemon flavor.
- Bring the ends of the cheesecloth together and tie with a knot and then hang it to your kitchen faucet for about 15 minutes to let all the whey drain through it. (Do not squeeze out all the water, as you need some moistness in your paneer if you want your kalakand to be soft and moist)
- Open the knot, season the paneer or chena with a pinch of salt(optional).Salt
How to make kalakand with condensed milk?
- In a thick-bottomed pan or kadai, add condensed milk and the crumbled paneer or chena prepared above and mix well. Check the sweetness now. If you like it to be sweeter, add sugar at this point.1 can Sweetened condensed milk
- Keep the flame on medium to medium-low and stir this mixture often so that it does not get stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- At first, the mixture will be thin, but as you cook, it will thicken and starts leaving the sides of the pan and form like a mass. At this point, add cardamom powder and saffron strands and mix well. Switch off the flame. (It may take anywhere between 10 to 13 minutes approx). See that the mixture is moist and not dry.¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder, 5 to 6 strands Saffron
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 for 2 to 3 hours, or keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours, as this sweet tastes best when served chilled.2 tablespoon Pistachios, 2 tablespoon Cashews, 2 tablespoon Almond
- Once set, cut into pieces and serve. Else, keep it refrigerated.
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 depending on the pan's thickness and the flame at which you simmer. The mixture should not be dry. If you overcook it, then kalakand will be chewy.
- I like this mildly sweet. For sweeter kalakand, add sugar or additional condensed milk to the recipe.
- For soft kalakand, never overcook the mixture. Once the mixture forms a mass and leaves the side of the pan, simply turn off the flame and set the kalakand. Overcooking will make your kalakand dry and chewy.
Instant Kalakand
- Kalakand with Store-bought paneer: Nothing tastes better than kalakand made using fresh and soft paneer or chena. But if you are short of time or want to make instant kalakand then you can use store-bought paneer.To make kalakand with store-bought paneer, soak the block in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes and grate or crumble it and use it in the recipe.
- Kalakand with Ricotta cheese: Add the ricotta cheese and condensed milk and cook until the mixture becomes thick and leave the side of the pan. The time it takes to reach the final stage may be a little more as the moisture content is higher in ricotta cheese.
But this is instant as you save time making the fresh chena.
Store and Freeze
Kalakand is a milk-based dessert and tastes best when consumed fresh. Any leftovers must be refrigerated and consumed in 3 to 4 days OR Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and store in an air-tight conatiner and freeze it for 2 months. Thaw overnight before serving.Nutrition
Note: We originally posted this recipe in Sept 2018. It has now been modified in July 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
Sophia
This is such a simple dessert but has such wonderful flavors, I love the cardamon and different types of nuts, so delicious!
Marta
As a New Yorker, I'm a huge fan of cheesecake. I can't wait to make this kalakand for my family this weekend.
Amy Liu Dong
Definitely giving this recipe a 5 stars ratings. It's delicious and a really makes mouthwatering recipe. Love it!
Diana
This dessert looks fantastic! I have never tried it before but I really want to after reading your recipe.
Jacqueline Debono
Homemade paneer sounds very similar to how we make ricotta here in Italy! I'd love to try making some so that I can try this kalakand. It looks really good!