These delectable little sweets are a classic dessert from undivided Bengal. Freshly made cheese is briefly cooked with a few additions until smooth and a little firm. Flavoured with citrusy cardamom and vibrant saffron, these shondesh are barely sweet, softly set and have a melt-in-the-mouth texture, making them a moreish treat – especially beautiful when traditional moulds are used. Great as after-dinner petit fours, or as part of cha nasta.
Dina Begum's Shondesh
- 1.5 litres (60 fl oz/6¼ cups) full-fat milk
- 4 tbsps lemon juice
- ⅓ teaspoon ground cardamom - Add To Cart
- 115g (4 oz/½ cup) granulated sugar
- Pinch of saffron
- 1½ teaspoons ghee, plus extra for greasing if needed
- 1 tbsp finely ground pistachios, to decorate
* Serves 12–16 people
- Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. As soon as it comes to a gentle boil and starts rising (around 6–8 minutes), turn off the heat. Take 1 teaspoon of the hot milk and place in a small bowl and stir in the saffron. Set aside to infuse.
- Add the lemon juice to the hot milk, stirring until the milk separates and you have curd solids and almost clear whey (liquid). You may need another tablespoon of lemon juice if the milk doesn’t separate immediately.
- Line a sieve (fine-mesh strainer) with a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and place it on top of a bowl. Carefully pour in the milk mixture and allow the whey to drain. Rinse a few times with cold water to remove the lemon smell.
- Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and twist to squeeze out excess water. Tie the top of the cheesecloth to the tap so that it’s suspended over the sink, or place it back on the sieve for 30
minutes–1 hour. - Tip the cheese out of the muslin and onto a large dish or tray. Knead with the heel of your palm for 2–3 minutes until smooth, then mix in the sugar and transfer to a frying pan over a low–medium heat.
- Add the ghee and saffron infusion to the pan, along with the cardamom. Cook, stirring continuously with a spatula, for 12–15 minutes, or until the mixture is coming away from the sides of the pan. The mixture will be a little runny at first and may appear grainy but persevere – it will smooth and firm up as it cooks. Press the mixture down occasionally with the back of the spatula to reduce any graininess.
- Transfer the mixture to a plate and allow to cool for a few minutes. Divide into 12–16 portions if you are shaping them by hand. Make each portion into slightly flattened rounds, or press the mixture into a small square tin and cut into squares.
- Sprinkle a pinch of ground pistachios on each sweet. Best served on the same day, however they keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for around 2 days.
Cook’s note:
If you own shondesh moulds, grease them very lightly with ghee and press portions into them to make imprints. Shondesh moulds are quite small so you’ll probably get 18–20 pieces if you use them.
