Kaju Pedas / Cashew Pedas

Homestyle Kaju  Pedas /  Cashew Pedas (without food color, all purpose flour (maida), silver / gold foil). A delicious sweet, made of cashew nut powder, sugar syrup and less ghee !!!

Makes: 20 - 24 kaju  pedas

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure cashew nuts, sugar and water.

1 cup / 200 ml cashew nuts (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

1 cup / 200 ml sugar

1 cup / 200 ml water

2 pinches cardamom powder (optional)

1 teaspoon ghee

Method

Make a fine powder of cashew nuts in a mixer bowl. Mixer bowl should be  dry. No need to dry roast cashew nuts. Keep aside.

In a bowl, boil sugar and water for 12 minutes on a medium heat until well sugar dilutes / melts  in water and forms a syrup like consistency.  Do not make it 1 thread consistency.

Tip- Always add sugar syrup into powdered cashew nuts when making cashew nut burfi / katli / rolls / pedas.

In a wide bowl, transfer powdered cashew nuts. Pour ¾th quantity of sugar syrup in 3 batches (2 tablespoon at a time) and mix nicely with a thick tablespoon. Reserve  2 tablespoon sugar syrup. Now the cashew nut mixture is like a paste. Add remaining sugar syrup if required. If it is well combined ( both the cashew nut powder and syrup)  / thick paste like consistency  then no need to add remaining sugar syrup.

Once the cashew nut mixture reaches at normal room temperature (after 10  - 12 minutes), it will become slightly thick in consistency. Finally mix with cardamom powder (optional).

At  this stage, sprinkle little ghee on both the palms  and make a soft dough. We can make a soft dough of the cashew nut mixture very easily. Divide the dough into 20 – 24 portions and make round balls and give the shape of pedas. Arrange pedas in small  cup cake cases. It is a perfect homemade sweet for all the occasion / festivals.