This soft Sandesh Recipe sweet is very soft as if it is going to fall when we lift it. I learned this recipe from my Bengali friend. It can be easily prepared(only 3 ingredients), can be chilled and served as dessert.
I had Sandesh or 'Shondesh' for the first time When I was in West Bengal. Soft texture, mild sweetness take us to somewhere in heaven. This sweet is very soft as if it is going to fall when we lift it.
I learned this recipe from my Bengali friend. It can be easily prepared(only 3 ingredients), interested can be chilled and served as dessert.
With a similar type of basic preparation, another sweet recipe Chum Chum can be made. If you interesting look into other Indian sweets like Paruppu Poli, MotiChoor Laddu, Badhusha recipes as well.
What is Sandesh?
Sandesh is an authentic sweet that belongs to the Bengal region in Eastern India. This is made by curdled milk. This is one of the traditional recipes made on festive days in the homes of Bengal.
West Bengal is known for its milk sweets, which are always fresh and high in quality. In West Bengal, you could see sweet stalls in every nook and corner.
I have tried many of them from the high-end restaurants to the street side small stalls. The sweets are high in quality and remain the same throughout the state. This shows the Bengal people’s love for sweets.
How does this taste like?
The Bengali sweets are mild, unlike other Indian sweets. This Sandesh sweet is a soft and fresh list mist. It does taste like a very mild version of western’s cheesecake. But the texture is completely different when compared with cheesecake.
How this Sandesh sweet can be your favorite?
The kitchen skill. This is a benchmark recipe that makes it perfect for beginners to brush up their interest in the kitchen. This recipe does not involve a long process and a long list of ingredients.
All it needs is just three ingredients. And the method of making is also simple and easy to understand. There are fewer chances of going wrong, even when tried for the first time. So, to sum up, easy dessert recipe when start trying out Indian sweet recipes.
Time. The making of this dessert needs minimal time when comparing with other Indian sweets.
For the Crowd. Making Sandesh sweet for a special occasion or for a crowd? You should make these, as it all one step making for large or small quantity. Making in batches is also possible.
Another good point is that you make ahead of time and refrigerate it. Serve whenever necessary. It can save you a tonne of time, and free from last-minute hassles.
Can I make Sandesh recipe with condensed milk?
Yes, you can. Adding condensed milk makes this easy Bengali sweet recipe more rich and tasty. Do not substitute condensed milk with milk in this recipe. Just add along with the quantity of milk stated in this recipe, since condensed milk already carries the sugar it needed for the sweet.
The Ingredients
This Sandesh recipe is made with universally available ingredients, and definitely not have any unique Indian ingredients. So, no need to rush to the nearby Indian store or make an online purchase before making this dish. All you need to milk, lemon, and sugar. If you have a cardamon, it is well and good. Otherwise also no problem, you can use any of the spices you have in your kitchen already.
Milk-the Key Ingredient. Whole milk is perfect for making this Sandesh recipe. The full cream milk gives a nice and rich flavor and taste. And the fat content also gives a great creamy texture to Sandesh. But if you are health conscious, you may use low-fat milk.
If you have paneer/Indian cottage cheese at home, you can skip the step of curdling the milk. And straightaway proceeds with the next step.
Lemon Juice. This is used for curdling the milk. You can substitute.
Sugar. Use the normal refined sugar, no particular sugar is needed like powdered sugar or crystal sugar. Each variation of sugar brings out the whole new dish and changes the color of the Sandesh very dramatically.
How long you can store this?
Since this Indian dessert is made with milk, its shelf life is very minimal. It is good to use for two days when kept on the kitchen counter. And you may use Sandesh for 5-6 days when refrigerated. And for 3-4 months, when frozen.
Other desserts you may like,
Printable recipe card
Sandesh Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups milk
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ cup almonds sliced-for decoration
Instructions
- In a big sauce pot, add milk and bring it to rolling boil.
- Add lemon juice and switch off the flame.
- Stir continuously until, milk curdles and whey water separates.
- Strain and keep the strainer under running water. This removes the lemon's tart flavor and taste.
- Allow paneer to cool down to the room temperature.
- Then knead paneer well, either in hand or in the blender. Paneer has to become like a paste with no lumps on it. The consistency of paneer should be like thick.
- Take equal amount of sugar.
- Over medium heat, in a pan add sugar, paneer dough, and cardamom powder. In mild flame cook this mixture for 4 minutes, or until it leaves the pan.
- Cook it until the mixture starts leaving the pan.
- In a tray, set the mixture to 1" thickness and leave it for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle almond slices for decoration, and then with the knife cut them into pieces for serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Do not forget to check out another recipe of Rasagulla, here in PepperBowl.
Serving Suggestions:
1. Serve warm or store in the refrigerator for 3 hours and then serve cold as the dessert.
2. Sprinkle saffron on the top for extra rich flavor.
Tips and Variations for Sandesh Recipe:
1. Add rose your favorite essence and food color for different variations.
2. Cut into different shapes.
3. Ready-made molds are available in different sizes and shapes, you are most welcome to use them.
4. You may also try the Sandesh recipe with powdered milk.
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