Peda - Milk Sweet (3 ways)

Peda, a milk fudge, is a very popular North Indian sweet that is traditionally made with Khoya or Mawa. The three different irresistible flavors I've tried and tested are saffron, cocoa/ chocolate, and pistachios. 

Although this recipe can be made with a microwave, I chose to use the regular stove top cooking as I'm not a big fan of the microwave. These varicolored Pedas are irresistible both to the eyes and the taste buds.  This definitely is a good treat for kids as well, and don't be surprised if they crave more...

Ricotta cheese is an excellent substitute for mawa as it's much quicker than the evaporated milk method of cooking. Also, note, this recipe can easily be adjusted to your taste with regard to the sugar level. Do give it a try to treat your near and dear ones to enjoy relishing as much as we do.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yields: 20 nos

Recipe category: Sweet/ Dessert

Recipe cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:

Ricotta Cheese or Khoya or Mawa - 15 oz /425 gms

Milk Powder - 2 cups

Sugar 1/2 cup

Ghee/ Clarified butter - 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon

For Yellow/Saffron Peda:

Yellow food color - as desired

Saffron - 20 stigmas

Milk - 1 tablespoon

For Green/Pista Peda:

Pistachios - 20 nos

Milk - 1 tablespoon

Green food color - as desired

Pista essence - 1/4 teaspoon

For Brown/Chocolate/Cocoa Peda:

Cocoa powder - 1 + 1/2 tablespoons

Chocolate syrup - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Heat a non-stick pan and add 1 tablespoon of ghee and the ricotta cheese, stirring continuously on medium-low flame.  The cheese will start to melt and turn soupy initially, but keep stirring for close to 10-15 minutes for all the water from the cheese to evaporate.
2. When the water evaporates, it starts to thicken, leaving the sides of the pan to form a ball of khoya as you keep stirring. 
3. Now add the sugar and milk powder to this khoya and mix just to incorporate well. 
4. Turn off the stove, and you may divide it into 3 parts if you desire all three varieties, or choose as you wish. Set the two portions aside, leaving 1 in the pan itself.
5. For a Saffron Peda, heat the milk and add saffron to soak in for 5 mins to release its flavor and color. Add the food color to the same and mix in 1 portion of khoya in the pan. Turn the flame to medium and stir continuously until it thickens for close to 5 to 10 minutes. Now it's ready to shape into small lemon-sized balls or disks and decorate with a saffron stigma.
6. For Pista Peda, grind approximately 20 pistachios with milk to a smooth paste and add to 1 portion of Khoya with green food color and essence. In a heated pan, stir until this mixture thickens to be shaped and decorated with pistachios.
7. Now, for the last being Chocolate Peda, you don't have to get to the stove. Just add the cocoa powder and the chocolate syrup and knead it into a ball. It's time to shape and decorate with chocolate.

Viola! All three different flavors are done. Hope you enjoy making and enjoying this tricolored milk sweet.

Notes and Tips:

• If you choose to use the microwave method, you might have to keep stirring every 3 minutes to avoid any burns until you get the desired consistency.
• Check to see if you can make a ball out of the thickened Khoya; else, keep stirring with medium-low heat until you get the right consistency, or simply add some milk powder to it.
• If you choose Khoya or Mawa, the cooking time is relatively very less.
• You may apply some ghee to your palms while kneading the peda dough.
• To shape the pedas, I used some of my kitchen tools like the wooden spatula's end, a bottle cap, a straw, and even a toothpick. You may also use cookie cookie-cutter or simply make a handmade disk shape and use forks or the tip of a whisk to make any desired design.