Apple Crisp Baked Gur Sandesh
Apple Crisp Baked Gur Sandesh — a fall-inspired twist on one of my favorite mithai’s from Kolkata, use in season apples for some tartness and brightness in this epic baked gur sandesh! With layers of a cinnamon-apple filling, an aromatic gur (jaggery) sandesh, and crispy gond (edible gum) to garnish, this is great for entertaining or just to warm up on a chilly day!
Ingredients
Apple Filling:
- 2 cups red crisp apples , chopped
- 1/3 cup brown sugar , adjust based on sweetness of apples
- pinch salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- pinch nutmeg (jaiphal)
- 1 1/2 tsp corn starch
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Gur Sandesh:
- 2 cups homemade cottage cheese (chenna) , see recipe notes for instructions
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup jaggery , adjust according to taste
- 2 tbsp pistachio , coarsely crushed
- pinch saffron soaked 1 tsp water, save some for garnish
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp ghee
Fried Gond:
- 2 tbsp edible gum (gond) , roughly broken
- ghee , for frying
Garnish:
- almonds , slivered
- pistachio , slivered
- fried gond
- 2 tbsp apple filling
- saffron , mixed with 1 tsp water
Instructions
Apple Filling:
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For the filling we want crisp red apples which are a little tart. Saute crisp apples with brown sugar (adjust according to sweetness of apple), salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Let some of the moisture come out and add in some cornstarch and lemon juice to soak some of that liquid up. If the apples are tart enough then there is no need to add lemon juice, and if the apples are too sweet then you can increase the lemon juice.
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Cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame until the apples are just a little soft. Don't over cook the apples as we still want them to be crisp and tart for the best texture and flavor in our sandesh. Keep the apple filling aside.
Gur Sandesh:
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If the chenna is too dry then gently mix it with your palm so that it comes together.
In a pan on medium heat, add chenna (cottage cheese) and milk. Mix eveything together while gently pressing with the back of a spatula so that everything comes together.
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Let it come to a boil then add jaggery and mix gently until combined and you get an even light brown color. Don't make it too dry as we have to bake this later, so it should have moisture.
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Now mix in chopped pistachios, saffron, cardamom, and a dollop of ghee. Your gur sandesh layer is ready.
Gond (Edible Gum):
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Heat 3 tbsp of ghee to medium hot. Check the temperature by adding a small piece of gum. If it puffs up well then the ghee is ready for frying
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Fry the edible gum (gond) in 2-3 batches and keep them aside.
Assemble:
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For serving, you can use a large dish or small ramekins or mason jars. Add a layer of apple filling while gently pressing down. Then apply a layer of gur sandesh, pressing down similarly. Follow this with another layer of apple filling and then gur sandesh. Then level it off from the top.
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Garnish it with almonds, pistachios, saffron, and some apple filling that we had made. Everything up to here can be done in advance and then kept it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
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When you are ready to serve, add a layer of gond (this has to be done just before baking). Then cover it with foil and bake it at 350℉/180℃ for 10 minutes - we just want to warm the dish without changing the color. You can even microwave on high for 2 minutes.
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Your Apple Crisp Baked Gur Sandesh is ready. Serve warm!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- How to Make Chena - Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the gas and add in the diluted vinegar (or lemon juice) slowly until the milk curdles. Add more vinegar or lemon juice if needed. Drain the curdled milk using a cheese cloth and rinse it with 3 to 4 cups of cold water to remove the lemon flavor. Don’t over rinse. Lightly squeeze the cloth and drain off excess water. Hang the cloth along with curdled milk (chenna) for 20 minutes. Don’t hang it for more time otherwise it will loose moisture and become very dry.
- If you are using paneer, then grate it and gently mix it with your palms till it starts coming together. Don't over mash otherwise it will start leaving ghee.