PEERA (Indian Milk Fudge)

Yield: 10 – 12 Ingredients

4 cups whole milk

¾ cup white sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Directions

1. Add the milk to a wide-mouth pot with a thick or heavy bottom. Place on medium heat and bring to a boil. As soon as the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Using a rubber spatula, stir the milk every 3 minutes for 1 hour to avoid the milk scorching. Be sure to run the spatula along the sides of the pot as well to avoid the milk hardening at the sides. At no time is the milk to come to a boil again; it should remain very hot. No skin should form on top of the milk either.

2. When the first hour is complete, stir the milk continuously; do not ever stop. The milk should remain white or very light in colour. Now the aim is to keep stirring until the milk reduces to 1 cup. Depending on the size and width of pot you are using, the milk can reduce to the 1 cup at the end of the second hour or at the end of the third hour. The best thing to do is measure it.

3. When the milk has reduced to 1 cup, it will thicken but it should still remain white. Add the sugar and keep stirring continuously; the sugar has to melt. The mixture will become watery, do not worry, this is normal; just keep stirring. Don’t forget to run the spatula along the sides of the pot too, not just the bottom.

4. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens. You will notice that it comes away easily and cleanly from the sides of the pot. The minute you stir and see that the mixture leaves a slight trail at the side or bottom of the pot, remove it from the heat and quickly stir in the cardamom until it is fully incorporated into the mixture. At this stage, the mixture will be like a thick paste, don’t worry, it will dry out as it cools. It is important to note that it should not be runny-wet, just a thick paste that moves.

5. Transfer the mixture to a plate that has been brushed with some ghee or vegetable oil. Let the mixture cool until you can handle it. You want it to still be warm so that you can shape it into round balls.

6. Rub a little ghee or oil on your hands and take the mixture a little at a time and roll them into balls and slightly flatten them between the palms of your hands. Place on a greased plate.

7. The Peera can be served as is or you can choose to decorate them with chopped nuts or dried fruit such as raisins or dried cranberries as I have.