Kesar Badam Katli, a confectionery masterpiece from India, is more than just a sweet treat; it’s a symbol of love, tradition, and celebration. This delectable delight, also known as Almond Katli, holds a special place in the hearts of Indians, especially during Diwali festivals and joyous occasions.
A cherished Indian sweet, has transcended time and tradition to become a beloved treat that can be enjoyed with ease, even in the modern era. Today, you can whip up this delicacy in your own kitchen, thanks to the convenience of ready-made almond flour available in stores. With just a few simple steps, you can recreate the magic of Kesar Badam Katli without the labor-intensive process of grinding almonds from scratch. Combine the almond flour with sugar and a touch of saffron and cardamom for flavor, and you’re on your way to a sweet sensation that still carries the essence of this timeless treat. This modern twist allows you to indulge in the flavors of tradition without the fuss, making Kesar Badam Katli a delightful addition to your festive spread or a thoughtful gift for loved ones.
While traditionally Kesar Badam Katli was made by blanching whole almonds and grinding them into a fine paste or powder, nowadays most confectioners use readily available almond flour or ground almonds. This makes the process easier and faster compared to manually blanching almonds and making the powder from scratch. High quality almond flour works excellently to provide the same nutty texture and flavor in the Kesar Badam Katli. It gets uniformly incorporated when mixing the ingredients. The use of almond flour has made it simpler to prepare homemade Kesar Badam Katli as well.
Ingredients
• 1-2 tbsp Milk
• 7-8 Threads of Saffron
• 1 cup Sugar
• ½ cup Water
• 2 cup Almond Flour
• ¼ cup Milk Powder
• ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
• Pinch of Yellow Food Color
• 1-2 tbsp Ghee + 1-2 tsp For Applying
• For Garnishing
• Silver Leaf/Chandi Warkh
• Sliced Pistachios
• Dried Rose Petals
Method:
1. In a small bowl, soak saffron strands in milk and set aside.
2. In a pan, add sugar and water and bring to a boil.
3. Add the almond flour, saffron milk, and cook on low-medium heat, stirring continuously with a spatula and scraping the edges. Use silicone spatula for easy scraping and stirring. Cook until the mixture thickens.
4. Add cardamom powder and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously.
5. Add ghee and stir until the mixture comes together as a dough and starts leaving the sides of the pan. To check, take a small amount in your fingers – it should not be sticky and should roll easily.
6. Remove the dough into a mixing bowl and let cool until easy to handle.
7. Knead the dough by hand, adding a little ghee to prevent sticking. Make a smooth dough.
8. Place the dough on butter paper or parchment paper. Cover with the same paper and roll out to ¼ inch thickness using a rolling pin.
9. Apply silver leaf, chopped pistachios, and rose petals on top. Cut into desired shapes like diamonds or squares using a knife.
10. Let sit on the paper for 3-4 hours before separating the pieces. It will harden completely as it cools and be easy to remove.
Tips:
• Make homemade almond flour by grinding whole almonds in a blender and sieving.
• Skip food color if not needed.
• Can skip milk powder.
• Saffron strands can be added directly to the boiling sugar syrup.
• Use vegan butter instead of ghee for vegan version.
- 1-2 tbsp Milk
- 7-8 Threads of Saffron
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ cup Water
- 2 cup Almond Flour
- ¼ cup Milk Powder
- ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
- Pinch of Yellow Food Color
- 1-2 tbsp Ghee + 1-2 tsp For Applying
- For Garnishing
- Silver Leaf/Chandi Warkh
- Sliced Pistachios
- Dried Rose Petals
- In a small bowl, soak saffron strands in milk and set aside.
- In a pan, add sugar and water and bring to a boil.
- Add the almond flour, saffron milk, and cook on low-medium heat, stirring continuously with a spatula and scraping the edges. Use silicon spatula for easy scraping and stirring. Cook until the mixture thickens.
- Add cardamom powder and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add ghee and stir until the mixture comes together as a dough and starts leaving the sides of the pan. To check, take a small amount in your fingers - it should not be sticky and should roll easily.
- Remove the dough into a mixing bowl and let cool until easy to handle.
- Knead the dough by hand, adding a little ghee to prevent sticking. Make a smooth dough.
- Place the dough on butter paper or parchment paper. Cover with the same paper and roll out to ¼ inch thickness using a rolling pin.
- Apply silver leaf, chopped pistachios, and rose petals on top. Cut into desired shapes like diamonds or squares using a knife.
- Let sit on the paper for 3-4 hours before separating the pieces. It will harden completely as it cools and be easy to remove.
Skip food color if not needed.
Can skip milk powder.
Saffron strands can be added directly to the boiling sugar syrup.
Use vegan butter instead of ghee for vegan version.
