I love mango flavoured Indian desserts so much. Even though I can get through boxes of Alphonso Mango during the Indian Mango season, I’m still not satisfied! The beauty of mango pulp is that mango based sweets can be enjoyed throughout the year. No restrictions or relying on seasons. Often, my Mum would make these quick Mango Peda or Mango Kalakand in the evening when we had some mango ras left over. Sometimes I quickly whip up this amazing creamy mango mousse that is eggless and gelatine free and made with only 2 ingredients. Throughout the year, our readers enjoy reading our mango recipes such as Mango Shrikhand/matho, Mango, badam and coconut ladoo and Gujarati Mango Kadhi on our blog.
WHAT ARE PENDA / PEDA / PEDHA / PERA
Peda are an Indian sweet that bare resemblance to English fudge and are essentially made from milk, whether the milk is boiled and reduced to solids, or by using milk powder and adding sugar and flavouring. Peda are always round in shape and have a smooth and creamy finish. We love making both traditional and unique Penda in our kitchen. Gujarati Rajwadi Peda are quite possibly the richest penda that are made with only whole milk and sugar. They have a mouthwatering grainy or danedar texture that is unique to these peda. Beautiful white Rajkot na Peda were an original creation on Jagruti’s Cooking Odyssey reflecting penda found specifically in Rajkot. Chai Peda and Clotted Cream Peda are a fun creation of ours celebrating Anglo Indian fusion flavours. The Chai Peda are made with condensed milk. We’ve also perfected a Sugar-Free Peda recipe with our No added Sugar Slow Roasted Mawa Peda Instant Kesar Peda in Microwave are a brilliant quick solution. We always transform leftover ricotta cheese into these easy and quick Ricotta Cheese Peda
WHEN DO PEOPLE MOST EAT PENDA?
Penda in particular are synonymous with gifting or celebrations. In India especially, a box of pedas is guaranteed when a family member, friend or neighbour is celebrating a special day whether that be passing exams, the birth of a child, or even buying a new car! With their small bite size pieces, they are also easy to transport. Penda are mostly plated on a thali during Raksha Bandhan (an Indian tradition celebrating the bond between brother and sister). Penda are also great for prashad, or holy offerings in temples. I remember my and my brother would always dug through the little sandwhich bag that is given as prashad on Navratri and look for the pieces of penda and leave the nuts for our parents. Holi, Janmashtmi and Holi are primetime for rich and exquisite penda.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEDA AND BARFI?
Peda and Barfi are both Indian sweets that share similar ingredients however their texture and finishing is quite different. Pedas have a soft and smooth texture that melts-in-your-mouth. One bite and you can feel the milkiness release. The mixture is cooked and then hand shaped into separate equal sized balls. Barfi is sometimes wrongly described as melt in the mouth but it actually shouldn’t be. Like we have explained in our flagship Plain White Barfi, barfi has a flaky texture that is achieved by shortening the milk powder with ghee. A crumbly finish helped along by crushed nuts is what makes barfi separate from peda. Barfi mixture is cooled in a square tray and then cut into perfect squares. Some of our Barfi recipes that we enjoy throughout the year are Chocolate and Pistachio Barfi, Nutella Barfi and Millionaires Barfi. Barfi and Peda are both brilliant carriers of flavour so there are a lot of variations out there. Our Best Barfi Peda recipes encompasses all of our classic recipes
INGREDIENTS
Mango Pulp – mango pulp provides the beautiful yellow-orange colour and a burst of exotic mango flavours. We gave used tinned kesar mango pulp here but you can also use fresh mango pulp when in season. Saffron – saffron imparts its own opulent flavour and colour. A little saffron goes a very long way. Milk Powder – you will need full fat or full cream milk powder for this recipe Sugar – use granulated white sugar Double cream – a few spoons of double cream Ghee – a dab of homemade desi ghee gives that classic Indian mithai smell and flavour that is unbeaten For garnishing: Pistachio nut slivers Saffron strands
HOW TO MAKE MANGO PEDA STEP BY STEP
The method can be broken down into key steps:
- Cooking the mango pulp
- Making the peda dough
- Shaping the peda
Cooking the Mango Pulp
Firstly, heat a little ghee with the mango pulp in a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan Keep stirring and cooking until the mango pulp has reduced by half This step removes the excess moisture from the mango puree
Making the Mango Penda Dough
Now we made the peda dough using milk powder Add milk powder to the reduced mango pulp and cook on a medium heat whilst continually stirring. Add double cream that has been infused with saffron – simply add a pinch of saffron strands to double cream and allow to sit for 20-30 mins. The longer the cream will sit, the deeper and richer the flavour and colour Add granulated sugar. The mando pulp alone will not be sweet enough so we have to add a little more sugar to the recipe Cook the mixture on a low to medium heat, constantly stirring and ensuring it doesn’t stick to the bottom or sides of the pan. Add a spoon of ghee whilst it is cooking to get a silky finish. It is important here to make sure that you do not cook the mixture until it is completely dry. As the dough cools, it will become thicker and the correct consistency. Once the dough begins leaving the sides of the pan, it is done. Overcooking will cause cracks when it comes to moulding the peda. They may also become chewy. Allow the mixture to cool for about an hour or two before shaping the peda. Too warm and the peda dough will still be too soft and not shape but too cold and the peda will begin to crack
Different ways to shape Peda
There are a variety of ways you can shape the peda. Previously, we have made round and slightly flattened penda, sometimes penda shaped like coins or disks. Firstly, “knead” the dough using the heel of your hand to smooth out the dough. This is a necessary process Next, use a deep spoon or a weighing scale to measure out equal size pieces of dough. Ours are weighed out in 30 g pieces We rolled the dough into perfect balls and then used the Peda Press to create an impression on the top of the peda and flatten them out a little We have added a small sliver of parrot green pistachio and an elegant strand of saffron to finish For these mango penda, we decided to use a flower mooncake mould/maker.
TIPS TO MAKE PERFECT PEDA & CORRECTING PEDA MISTAKES
Use the freshest ingredients when making peda. Starting with quality ingredients ends in quality results. Mango ras or pulp that is storebought can be sour. Use a company you trust before using it to make the peda or at least try it first.
Using appropriate equipment is important. You need a heavy-bottomed pan to make Indian sweets as they can very easily burn
Constant stirring is key. Indian sweets require TLC and your full attention Keeping a close watchful eye when cooking the mixture is important. Lookout for the signs of when the mixture is cooked and be sure to take the mixture off the heat Making mithais requires practice, so get stuck in and enjoy the process! The results are so rewarding.
Cracks in Peda
Cracks in Peda can happen if the dough is too dried out. This may be due to overcooking or leaving the dough out for too long before shaping. If this happens, add a tsp of milk at a time and knead the dough again until it smooths out Reshape the peda
Chewy Peda
Chewy penda can be due to over cooking the mixture. As the mixture begins leaving the sides of the pan and begins forming a mass in the pan it is done. The mixture may still seem loose but it will form once it cools so trust this process.
Sticky Peda
You will get a sticky dough if there is too much moisture left in the dough or the ratio of moisture to milk powder is too great. If this happens, dry roast a little milk powder in a separate pan or in a microwaveable bowl until the milk powder itself becomes aromatic. Add this directly to your dough and re-knead until smooth. You could also add the mixture back to the pan to cook further but the danger here is overcooking by accident so adding a little more cooked milk powder is better in my opinion.
Storage
The beauty of penda is that it is perfect make-ahead Indian sweet. You can store peda in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Peda can dry out if left out in the open for days so once they are shaped and fully cooled, they can later that day be packaged in a tin or tupperware that is airtight Ensure that the tupperware or tin is free of lingering strong smells or odors. IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, you might also like our other mango recipes: 1. No-bake mango ginger cheesecake 2. Mango cheesecake lassi 3. Mango coconut tapioca pudding Note: This Mango peda post has been updated from the recipe archives with new images and content, first published on the 2nd of September 2010.
