Kaju Katli or cashew nut fudge is a deliciously rich and decadent Indian sweet. Kaju Barfi is an all-time favourite mithai that’s gifted during festivals to one’s near and dear, especially during Diwali, the festival of lights.
In India, it is customary to gift a box of traditional Indian sweets or dry fruits during Diwali. The melt-in-the mouth pieces of sweetened cashew fudge is one of the most popular mithai which is gifted to family and friends on this festive occasion.
I always put off making cashew burfi, thinking it to be a long and laborious process. But to my utter amazement, it’s such an easy and simple burfi recipe, that I now laugh at myself for not trying out this delectable sweet recipe a lot earlier. It’s just that you need to careful about the texture of the powdered kaju, the sugar syrup consistency, preparing and kneading the kaju dough.
This soft and velvety light-coloured burfi, loaded with the goodness of cashews, is a yummy sweet…quick to prepare and it disappears just as fast! So delicious!!! You just can’t stop eating it.
Homemade Kaju Katli Recipe:
I so love fudge and cashewnut fudge is right up my alley. Nothing makes me happier than rolling out a batch of perfectly made kaju barfis. Everyone at home relishes this delicious Indian sweet. Every so often we receive a nice box of kaju barfi. The smooth, diamond-shaped pieces full of cashew goodness disappear in next to no time at all.
Cashew nut fudge looks so incredible and it’s so simple to prepare. Kaju burfi is a delectable treat for any occasion. Learn how to make the perfect kaju katli at home
- To make cashewnut fudge, firstly measure out all your ingredients and keep them ready, as you need to work really fast.
- Place the plain cashews (unsalted/not roasted) in a clean and dry mixie container and grind to a dry powder, whilst scraping the sides of the mixie jar in intervals. Don’t overdo the grinding as cashew tends to release a lot of oil and the mixture will not be dry. Make sure the cashews are at room temperature before grinding.
- In a non-stick pan, combine water and sugar and boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and stir continuously, till the sugar dissolves completely.
- The sugar syrup will slowly start to thicken and bubble up.
- Once it reaches one-string consistency, add the powdered cashews and cardamom powder. This is a very important stage – it’s the key to the delicious fudginess!
- If the sugar syrup consistency is too thick and you add the kaju powder, it will become crumbly and dry and you just will not be able to form the dough.
- Keep stirring on a low flame till it all comes together like a thick, pliable dough. This is the right stage to turn off the gas – it takes about 7-8 minutes to form this soft dough. If you overcook it, the kaju katlis will become chewy.
- Remove the dough onto a plate or clean work surface. Allow the kaju mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
- Apply a little ghee on your palms (optional). While still warm, gently knead the kaju dough, till nice and smooth. If you wait too long for the mixture to cool down, the dough will become dry.
- Line a plate with butter paper, place the kaju dough on it and gently flatten it. Place another butter paper over the dough and lightly roll it out into the desired thickness with a rolling pin. Placing butter paper on top and underneath the dough helps to evenly roll it out without having to worry about the dough sticking to the rolling pin. The dough gets a nice smooth texture.
- Take off the butter paper on top and keep the knife ready in hand to score lines in the rolled kaju dough.
- Once it’s cooled ever so slightly, cut the blocks of pure deliciousness into desired shapes.
- After it’s completely cooled, gently remove the kaju pieces for serving.
- Wow your taste buds with delicious Kaju Katli sweet. You can store the kaju barfi in an airtight container.
If you are looking for more Indian sweet recipes, do try out Til Laddu and Sandesh.
Cashew Fudge Recipe details below:
Kaju Katli Recipe
Ingredients
- Whole raw cashew nuts - 1 cup, powdered
- Sugar - 1/3 cup
- Water - 1/4 cup
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp (optional)
Instructions
- For this cashew burfi recipe, take a cup of whole cashews or kaju in a dry mixie jar and grind to a smooth powder. If you are using refrigerated cashews, first bring them to room temperature before you grind them.
- In a non-stick pan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat and cook on low flame, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
- Fold in the kaju powder. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Keep stirring on low heat till the kaju mixture slowly starts to thicken and comes away from the sides of the pan. It takes about 7-8 minutes. At this stage you’ll get a nice lump-free, soft flexible ball of dough.
- You can check by breaking off a small piece of dough and rolling it into a ball – if it’s smooth and non-sticky, you’ve got the right dough consistency
- Transfer the cashew dough onto a clean work surface or plate and allow the mixture to cool down slightly, maybe about 5 minutes. Avoid scraping the sides of the pan as the mixture will not be soft.
- Grease your palms with ghee (optional) and gently knead the dough while still warm. Don’t apply pressure, just lightly knead the dough to a smooth finish.
- Place the dough on a plate lined with butter paper and lightly pat it down while still warm. (You can also place the dough on a greased plate). Cover the dough with another butter paper and roll out into desired thickness with a rolling pin. You need to roll out the dough while it’s still warm as the dough starts to harden while it cools down, making it difficult to roll it out.
- Placing the kaju dough between two butter papers and rolling it out will give a smooth finish to the dough.
- Remove the butter paper cover and using a sharp knife, mark out lines on the dough. Allow the rolled cashew dough to cool down.
- Cut the kaju dough into desired shapes - squares or diamonds. Gently prise out the cashew katli pieces and place on a plate.
- Enjoy delicious Indian fudge kaju katli.
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