Kalakand

Kalakand  is a very traditional and delicious Indian dessert, made with  solidified, sweetened milk and cottage cheese.It's a variation of  burfee, soft and grainy in texture. .Though it was invented in Rajasthan, it has became  favourite among  the sweet lovers of West Bengal.

Recipe makes about 12 to 16 pieces

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of  milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice (for making cottage cheese/chhena)
• Milk powder - 2 tbsp
• condensed milk (optional)

     For garnishing: 

• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds and pistachio (optional) for garnishing
• saffron strands (optional)

Method:

Making cottage cheese / chhena:

1. Mix lemon juice in ¼ cup of hot water and put aside.
2. Boil the 4 cups of milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
3. As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
4. Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
5. Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
6. To take out the excess water, squeeze the wrapped paneer. Do not knead the paneer.

Making Kalakand:

1. Boil remaining 4 cup of the milk in a heavy bottom frying pan on medium high heat until the milk reduces to about two cups.
2. Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.
3. Add the paneer in the milk and keep stirring till the mixture thickness and form a soft dough consistency.
4. Add the sugar and continue to cook and stirring until the mixture become soft lump and start leaving the pan from sides.
5. Pour it over greased plate keeping about half inch thick.
6. Let it cool for about one hour. Cut the kalakand in squares.

    Garnish them with almond,pistachio and saffron and serve.