Quick and Easy Kalakand recipe using ricotta cheese - Microwave version -- Easy diwali recipes - step by step

    Diwali is quick approaching. I can see many of our bloggers started posting Diwali recipes. Here is mine. Kalakand is the thicker version of  kova. But here we have used ricotta cheese for best results. We can also use paneer , but that doesn't give the right texture. Got this recipe from "Saras's Kitchen". This sweet is quick to prepare ,with less ingredients.The original recipe has used full fat milk powder, which I have replaced it with non fat powder. So the cooking time varied from her recipe. I have given variations to the ingredients of the  recipe too (refer notes) . I bet this sweet is very apt for parties, as it is easy to prepare in large quantities. Check out other milk sweet, doodh peda, Microwave paal gova.

 

 

 

Preparation time : 5 minutes

Cooking time      :  8 minutes

Yield                   :   12

 

Ingredients:

1.Ricotta Cheese                      -     1 cup

2.Non fat milk powder             -     1 cup

3.Butter                                     -     3 tbsp.

4.Crushed almonds                   -      2 tbsp.

5.Crushed cardamom                -      1/4 tsp

6.Sugar                                      -      3/4 cup

 





 Method:
Take a microwave safe bowl, add milk powder to it. Before hand, bring ricotta cheese,butter to room temperature. Place the butter and cheese , for half an hour, for it to reach room temperature.

 Now add the measured ricotta cheese to the bowl. Instead of ricotta cheese, we can also use shredded paneer. But I have tried that version as well, but I didn't like the texture .

 Add the crushed cardamom, butter to the bowl. Make sure to remove the skin of the cardamom .

 

Using a spatula, mix them without any lumps. That's the reason ,for bringing the butter to room temperature.

 

 

Now at this stage, we can either cook the mixture on a stove top or microwave. While cooking on stove top, we need to cook it , until the mixture comes out of the sides ,without sticking. Microwave method is quite easy .Microwave the mixture for 1 minute. Take it out and mix it again. Now the mixture looks like this.

 

  Similarly cook on high for 8 minutes approximately, stirring them in between. This makes the moisture to disappear. If we are using full fat milk powder, we just need to cook for 5 minutes. But this is fat free ,so it takes much time. 



Now grease a square pan with butter. Since I had prepared small quantity, so greased just half of the pan. and keep it ready.

 Now spread the kalakand on the greased pan . Just use the back of the spoon to press kalakand on the pan.

 Now sprinkle the crushed almonds on top of the kalakand. We can also use pistachios or both almonds and pistachios.

 Cool the kalakand completely. Once they are set, use a buttered knife and cut into small squares. Store it in air tight containers.

Finish the kalakand pretty soon, as there are chances for it to go stale soon. We can refrigerate also.

 

Notes:
* Never cook  kalakand for more time, then it will become chewy and hard.
* Every microwave has its own settings, so the time may vary accordingly. Make sure we get the kalakand as a spreadable consistency.
* We can also skip milk powder, sugar and use condensed milk instead. For a 14 oz condensed milk can, we can take half the given quantity of ricotta cheese (16 oz). Just microwave with butter,condesed milk and ricotta cheese,till you get a thick kalakand.
* I have used non fat milk powder, you can also use full fat milk powder, so that the cooking time is reduced to 5 minutes.
 * Adjust the amount of sugar accordint to your taste buds.