Rose-Orange Kachagolla Sandesh
Rose-Orange Kachagolla Sandesh — perfect for spring, this light and colorful Bengali mithai is the easiest, lightest sweet that will transport you to Kolkata! You can truly get creative with the flavors, especially with Holi around the corner, and enjoy this delicate mithai that’s made with homemade chenna (cottage cheesE) and lots of love. I also love this sweet because it’s compatible with any diet, since it comes out great using low-fat milk and jaggery or monk-fruit as a sweetener!
Ingredients
Sandesh:
- 1/2 gallon milk , 2 liters
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp vinegar , mixed in 3/4 cup water
- 5 tbsp sugar , pulsed in a blender to make it finer if granulated sugar
- 2 tsp rose water
- 2 tbsp milk powder , or desiccated coconut.
Rose Syrup:
- 3 tbsp red rose syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- pinch salt
Orange Syrup:
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- sugar , if needed depending on the sweetness of your oranges
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- pinch salt
Garnish:
- pistachio , slivered
- saffron
Instructions
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In a pan, add water (to prevent the milk from sticking) and the milk. Let this come to a boil on medium heat and then take this off the heat. Slowly stir in the diluted vinegar (i.e. vinegar mixed with water) until the milk curdles.
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Drain the curdled milk using a cheesecloth and rinse it with 3 to 4 cups of cold water to remove the lemon flavor. Don't over rinse the chenna.
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Lightly squeeze the 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.
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Take out the chenna onto a plate and knead it with your palm for 5-7 minutes until it becomes soft and smooth. Divide this into two equal parts.
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Transfer half of the chenna into a pan with the sugar. Let this cook on low-medium heat for 5 minutes until it comes together. This roasted chenna helps ensure the binding of the sugar and gives a really nice texture to the sandesh. Transfer this to a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes in the fridge.
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While this is cooling, we’ll make our rose and orange syrups. Transfer both mixtures to separate saucepans on medium heat and stir until they thicken and have a ganache-like texture. Take them off the heat and let them cool.
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Mix the roasted and regular chenna on a plate and knead gently with your palms until the come together. Add in the rosewater and fold gently.
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Shape the sandesh into equally-sized small balls, I was able to make 20 pcs. Roll them in some milk powder or desiccated coconut.
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Make a small divet on top of the sandesh and fill with the rose and orange syrups. Garnish with slivered pistachio and some saffron strands and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- You can use any fresh fruit juice and get creative with the flavors here!