Kalakand is infused with flavors of coconut and rose in this decadent dessert!

The Coconut Rose Kalakand makes a delicious treat for the festive season!

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Less than 2 weeks left for Diwali! Have you guys already decided on the Diwali menu?

If you are still deciding on the which sweets to prepare, then I have got just the right choice for you.

This Coconut Rose Kalakand is not only delicious but it also looks so pretty!

Isn’t it? Look at that pretty pink color and topped with those green pistachios!

This Coconut Rose Kalakand

✓ makes a beautiful dessert for Diwali

✓ the pink color makes it extra-festive

✓ is super easy to make

✓ requires only a handful of ingredients!

Making this kalakand is really easy. I use condensed milk to take the easy way out.

In fact I rarely make kalakand the traditional way. The condensed milk makes it so much easier.

To make this Coconut Rose Kalakand, start with curdling the milk to make fresh chena.

Oh by the way if you are confused between paneer and chena, let me clarify.

Both are one or the same thing. When milk is curdled, we get chena. It forms the base of so many Bengali sweets like Rasmalai, Rasgulla etc.

When weight is put on top of that chena and it is allowed to set, then it becomes paneer and used in several Indian recipes like palak paneer and paneer butter masala!

You can use ready made paneer here and grate it but I prefer using fresh chena, it makes a difference.

And we are just curdling the milk here so it’s really a simple process. You can use either lemon juice or vinegar to curdle the milk.

I have used vinegar here. Once the milk is curdled, you strain the whey and then put the chena back on stove-top with condensed milk, flavor it and cook until it thickens and then let it set.

The entire process doesn’t take more than 30 minutes.

Talking about the flavors, rose and coconut are some of my favorite flavors. The rose flavor comes from using store bought rose syrup.

I have used Dabur rose syrup here, you may any rose syrup brand that you like.

This coconut rose kalakand makes an easy and festive dessert. The only flip side is that it won’t last very long.

Since it’s a milk based sweet, the shelf life is relatively small and it’s best when consumed with in 2 to 3 days.

But I doubt it will last that long in the first place!

Method

1- Add milk to a pan, preferably use a heavy bottom pan and stir often so that milk doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Heat milk until it comes to a boil.

2- Once the milk comes to a boil, turn off  the heat and start adding vinegar little by little.

3- Add vinegar until the milk curdles. Stop adding more vinegar as soon as you see the whey separate.

4- Drain the curdled milk into a strainer lined with a muslin cloth and collect the chena (paneer). Wash the paneer with water to get rid of any vinegar smell.

5- Bring the ends of the cloth together and then squeeze water from the paneer. Squeeze as much water as you can and then tie the cloth to a tap/handle and let the cloth hang for around 20 minutes. This will drain any more water.

After 20 minutes, crumble the paneer with your hands and set it aside. Meanwhile line a 8 x 8 inch square pan with aluminium foil and then spray with a non-stick spray and set it aside.

6- Now heat a pan on medium heat and add desiccated coconut powder to it. Roast for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and then remove coconut into a plate.

7- Now to the same pan on medium-low heat, add condensed milk, rose syrup, crumbled paneer and the roasted coconut powder. Mix well.

8- Then add the rose water.

9- Mix everything together and then turn the heat to low-medium and keep stirring the mixture continuously.

10- After around 11-12 minutes of stirring the mixture on low heat, it will leave the sides of the pan. That’s when it’s done. Don’t over cook else kalakand will turn dry.

11- Remove pan from heat at this point. Transfer the mixture into the prepared square pan.

Use a spatula or back of a cup to press it well into the pan. Garnish with coconut powder and chopped pistachios. Press the nuts slightly.

12- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before cutting into pieces.

Store Coconut Rose Kalakand in the refrigerator and consume with in 3 days!

Ingredients used in this recipe

Rose Syrup

Desiccated Coconut Powder

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Rose Water

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