Sandesh, a popular Bengali sweet, is a simple and heady mix of freshly made paneer or chena kneaded with powdered sugar and a hint of cardamom powder. Bengal’s best known channar sweet Sondesh can be prepared at home very easily.
Sandesh Recipe
For Bengalis, soft, melt-in-the-mouth Sandesh is mandatory for any kind of celebration. So whether your kid has scored well in class, you just bought a new car or you have received a job offer, you just cannot break the good news to your family and friends without a celebratory box of the Bengali sweet sandesh!
The staple ingredient in the making of this sweet delicacy is ‘chhana’ or paneer extracted by curdling milk.
This drool-worthy Bengali sweet recipe requires nothing more than kneading together the three basic ingredients – chena (paneer/cottage cheese), powdered sugar and cardamom powder – heating the whole mix and then refrigerating it in moulds. Simple 🙂
Sandesh Sweet Recipe:
Sondesh, made with sweetened chena and flavoured with cardamom, tops the list of famous Bengali sweets. If you ever visit the “City of Joy’ make sure you don’t miss out on the chhena-based Sandesh!
When the milk is just about to boil over, reduce the flame. Then add lemon juice, while you keep on stirring.
You will notice that the milk starts to curdle. Keep stirring till the chena separates from the whey completely.
Strain the paneer using a sieve/strainer lined with cheesecloth.
Wrap the prepared chena in the cheesecloth and rinse under water to remove the lemony taste. Squeeze gently to drain out water.
Unwrap the homemade chhana and place it on a clean dry plate. The cottage cheese should be slightly moist; if it’s too dry, it will start to crumble.
Knead the paneer till it’s absolutely soft and smooth. You will see that the cheese will start to release fat and your kneading hand will feel slightly greasy.
Then mix in powdered sugar and cardamom powder.
Knead the dough for a couple of minutes more till all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Heat a non-stick pan on low flame and add the chena mixture. Saute the mixture for about 5 minutes till the mixture starts to come together.
Do not overcook or the mixture will become dry.
Remove and set aside for a couple of minutes to cool slightly.
Knead the mixture lightly and divide into equal portions.
Lightly roll each portion into a ball and flatten it gently between your palms.
You can also use traditional leaf or fish moulds to get the desired shape.
Place some tutti frutti or chopped pistachios in the centre of each flattened ball and press lightly.
Refrigerate for about an hour.
Serve Bengali Sandesh for dessert.
Sandesh Recipe
If you are looking for more Bengali sweet recipes with milk, do try out Payesh with Jaggery.
Sandesh is a Bengali delicacy. Sondesh Bengali sweet can be infused with any flavour and molded into a variety of shapes. This cottage cheese Indian dessert recipe can easily be prepared at home.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Bengali
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 50 minutesminutes
Servings 4
Calories 47kcal
Author Shil
Ingredients
Full Cream Cow Milk – 1 litre
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Powdered sugar - 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
Tutti frutti – 1 tbsp
Instructions
To prepare Sandesh, pour 1 litre milk into a vessel. Place the vessel over medium heat and bring the milk to a boil. Reduce heat and slowly stir in lemon juice. You can see the milk solids will start to separate. Turn off the gas and set the milk aside for 10 minutes to facilitate the curdling process.
Place a cheesecloth lined strainer over a bowl and drain out the whey, reserving the chhana.
Wrap the paneer in the cheese cloth and rinse under running water to remove residual lime juice. Squeeze till all the water drains out.
Place the solid mass of homemade paneer on a plate and knead for about 5 minutes till it’s nice and smooth.
Add the sugar and cardamom powder and combine well. Knead for 2-3 minutes.
Heat a non-stick pan over a low fame. Add the sweetened chena mixture and saute it for 5 minutes till it starts to leaves the sides of the pan. Ensure the mixture is still a little moist or else it will start to crumble.
Take it off the flame and let it cool slightly.
Knead the dough while still a little warm so that’s it’s smooth without any cracks. Divide it into uniform balls.
Flatten each ball between your palms or use Sandesh moulds to get your desired shape. Lightly press some tutti-frutti in the centre of each ball.
Refrigerate the Sandesh for an hour before serving.
Enjoy the delectable Sandesh Bengali sweet.
Notes
* You can use palm jaggery instead of sugar. * If the mixture turns dry and crumbly, add a little milk and knead to a smooth dough. * You can garnish with chocolate sprinkles, pistachio or almond slivers. * Sandesh will keep in a refrigerator for upto a week.
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