Kaju Katli Recipe Indian Sweets

This popular Indian sweet is made with cashews and has a melt-in-the-mouth fondant texture. Delicious! It’s similar to barfi, a sweet confection typically made with nuts, sugar and cardamom. Edible silver is the crowning glory. If you like sweet and creamy marzipan, you’ll love them!

This Kaju Katli recipe is…

Vegetarian Soy free Perfect for Indian festivals and celebrations

What is Kaju Katli?

Kaju katli is known for its rich, nutty flavour and delicate, fondant-like texture. It will melt in your mouth like fudge or fondant. This sweet treat, often enjoyed during Indian festivals and celebrations, is a testament to the culinary artistry of India, given that it’s usually topped with sheets of edible silver foil. I often say that making Indian confectionary is an art and this is quite possibly one of my favourites, given how easy it is!

So where does the name come from?

The name “kaju katli” is derived from the Hindi words “kaju” (cashew) and “katli” (a thick, diamond-shaped sweet).

How to make Kaju Katli

Kaju katli is primarily made from cashews, which are carefully ground and mixed with a combination of milk powder, sugar, cardamom, and sometimes saffron. The exact proportions of these ingredients can vary depending on personal preference and regional variations. My version calls for whole milk powder.

Is silver foil vegetarian?

Steps for making Kaju Katli at home

Full ingredients and method for Kaju Katli below.

1. Grind the cashews to a fine powder

In a clean, dry blender, pulse the cashew nuts (short bursts) until they’re a coarse powder. Do not leave the blender running for too long or the fats will begin to release from the nuts and turn greasy. Pass the cashews through a sieve to separate the large pieces out. Return these chunky pieces to the blender and pulse again until fine. Remember not to over blend. Sieve again. You may need to repeat this process 3-4 times, until all the cashews have been ground into a fine powder. Don’t throw any away, you will need the whole amount. The ground cashews should look like almond meal. Transfer to a bowl. Stir the milk powder into the ground cashews.

2. Cook the sugar syrup

Add sugar, water and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook over a medium heat until the syrup reaches between 106°C-108°C, about 4 minutes.

3. Beat over a low heat

Immediately add the ground cashew mixture and butter and beat with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated. The mixture should be sticky and pasty. Turn the heat down to very low and cook the mixture, beating continuously until very thick, sticky and pasty, about 8-10 minutes.

4. Knead the mixture

Quickly tip the mixture out in the centre of the greased parchment and put your gloves on. Knead the mixture by lifting one side of the parchment paper at a time, so that the paste folds in on itself (do not directly touch the mixture yet, it will be incredibly hot). Continue to knead in this way for about 5-6 minutes, using the parchment paper as a buffer in between your hands and the kaju katli mixture. The mixture will stiffen slightly and feel like a warm, pliable dough.

5. Roll the cashew mixture and top with silver leaf

Once it feels like thick play dough (and is still quite warm), use a greased rolling pin to roll the kaju katli mixture out to about 20cm/8-inches wide and 8mm/0.3-inch thick. Lay over any silver leaf (if using) and use your fingers to smooth it down gently (it will stick to your fingers so be sure to use the paper it comes on).

6. Cut the kaju katli into diamond shapes

Allow to cool for 1-2 hours at room temperature, or until completely dry to the touch.Use a large, sharp knife to cut the kaju katli into diamond shapes (full instructions for how to do this are in the video).