Ooey Gooey Baked Sondesh

Many people equate West Bengal as the land of ever abundant sweets. Every street corner has their own sweet shop which caters to local. While it is true that there is no dearth of varieties of sweets in Bengal, I personally think making sweets is a higher form of art, which am yet to master. The sweet makers are traditionally named as Modaks or Haluikars. I can recall images where I have seen those artisans kneading the soft cottage cheese for hours in big wooden plates.  Back in 90's people used to hire Haluikars  to make sweets for special celebration in the household - like marriage or rice ceremony. Right from making cottage cheese, transporting them to a facility, kneading and finally giving them shape, the art of making Bengali dessert is no easy-peasy game.

 However, most of my dessert making repertoire is limited to those varieties, which are no fuss and quick. One of them is Baked Sondesh, which, truth be told , is a one, which is a kind of cheat recipe, hence you will never find this in the authentic sweet shops of West Bengal. But, oh yes, this recipe serves my purpose!!

I made Baked Sondesh last week as a part of the Holi festival, why don't you give it a try?
Recipe for Baked Sondesh ( Makes about 15 Sondesh):

Ingredients:

Whole milk - 1 liter
Freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 tsp
Condensed milk - 3/4 th can
Milk powder - 1 cup
Almond nuts - 1/2 cup
Cardamom pods - 6
Mango pulp - 6-7 tsp ( optional)

Process :

•  Boil milk in simmering heat in a heavy bottom pan. Once the milk starts boiling, add lemon juice. Keep stirring so that the juice gets evenly distributed. The milk will soon separate out to cottage cheese ( or chana)
• Put off the flame and let the mixture rest for a while so that it is easy to handle.
• Take a cheesecloth and strain the whole mixture. Also give it a quick rinse over clear water so that there is so no smell of lemon juice.
• Squeeze out the excess water and let the mixture hang for couple of hours so that the extra water drips out.
• Soak almond nuts in warm water and grind them to a smooth mixture ( use milk to facilitate grinding)
• Now in a big pan assemble cottage cheese, almond paste. Add condensed milk. Mix everything thoroughly.
• Use a porcelain/glass dish to bake ( drizzle oil on the baking dish and spread them evenly)
• Take a water bath  ( Fill up a bigger dish with water and let the Baked Sondesh be in a smaller dish immersed in it)
• Bake at 250 deg C for 40-45 mins, or until they turn slightly warm
• Once you take out, the mixture will be still wobbly, let it cool down to room temp
• Let it rest inside the fridge for 15-20 mins, so that it becomes firm, easier to handle
• Garnish it with raisins, or poke a hole in the middle and fill up with Mango pulp!

Ooey Gooey Baked Sondesh is ready!