BESAN LADOOS: GUEST POST BY JAYASHRI BALERI

BESAN LADOOS: GUEST POST BY JAYASHRI BALERI

Let me begin today's post by wishing all of you a Very Happy Diwali. Perhaps India's most famous festival, Diwali is truly the Festival of Lights. It's also the time for making and sharing sweets with family and friends. 

I am delighted that my friend, Jayashri Baleri, whom I call the "Dessert Queen" agreed to share her recipe for a sweet on the festive occasion of Diwali. Her choice: Besan Ladoos.

Ingredients:

• Besan ( Gram flour), 3 cups
• Sugar, powdered, 2 and 1/4 cups
• Ghee, around 1 cup (can be reduced slightly if desired)
• Cardamom, finely powdered, 7-8
• Almonds and Cashews, roasted and chopped, about 2 tbsp
• Pistachio, finely chopped, 1 tbsp, to decorate

The yield from this recipe is about 25 to 30 ladoos depending upon the size of course...one can just halve or double the recipe as per the requirements....what you see in the picture is of 9 cups(standard one that is used in baking) besan....the yield was 85 ladoos.

Method:
Roast besan on a slow flame adding ghee a little at a time.
Adding all the ghee in the beginning itself will make the besan heavy and very difficult to stir
The entire process of roasting the besan will take about 30 to 40 minutes
Add cardamom powder, nuts, stir well and take it off heat
Let it cool for a while
Finally add the powdered sugar and mix well with your hands
Shape it into ladoos and decorate with finely chopped pistachios.

Thank you so much Jayashri for these beautiful and delicious Besan Ladoos.