Jump to Recipe Print Recipe (With Step-wise Instructions below too) Kaju Katli/Kaju Burfi is one addictive Indian cashew fudge with minimal ingredients but maxed on taste and flavor; just cashew nuts, sweetener and maybe some flavors like cardamom powder, rose essence etc. and sometimes a dash of ghee! But this particular Kaju Katli needs no big skill, no making of sugar syrup (as most burfis need) and no cooking whatsoever at all! A layman’s way to enjoy homemade Indian sweets! Just blitz cashew nuts to a fine powder, add some icing sugar or powdered sugar, a dash of water to bring it all together to form a dough and roll thin before cutting it into those ubiquitous shape, either diamond shaped or even square. Easy Peasy isn’t it?
KAJU KATLI or KAJU BURFI
Kaju Katli which is basically kaju or cashew burfi or fudge albeit with not much thickness is one the most craved for Indian sweets or burfis as far as I can remember. Burfis are bit more thick for a more fudgy feeling but katli is for those who love kaju burfi but with a smaller bite and feel of same joy of savoring this every popular Indian sweet! No box of sweets shared with family and friends is complete in India without a few kaju burfis/katlis in it to enjoy during festivals, special occasions, birthdays, parties etc. That soft bite, that fudgy feel, that nutty aroma and addictive taste with just a dash of sweetness and maybe some aromatics like cardamom powder or saffron or even rose water is so heady, put a batch of these in front of me and that’s a goner….empty in no time; that addictive and delicious! All you need are some raw cashew nuts, some sugar (preferably powdered sugar or even icing sugar) and maybe aromatics or spices if you feel like it; the popular ones being cardamom powder, rose water or even saffron. Traditional kaju burfi needs that you make some sugar syrup and cook the powdered cashew nuts in that to form a dough and then roll and cut into desired shapes. None of that here. Once you make it this way, you will definitely not be making that other traditional method anymore!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE NO COOK KAJU BURFI
Cashew nuts – preferably raw cashew nuts. Sweetener – the traditional one is white sugar. For this recipe you will need sugar in its powdered form or you can use icing sugar too. But if you like jaggery, then feel free to add jaggery powder as many are doing today. For flavoring – Saffron powder or strands, rose water or freshly ground green cardamom powder to flavor the burfi; just one of them, not all! That is it!
TO MAKE CASHEW BURFI OR KAJU KATLI
First step is to make cashew nut powder. Just blitz 1 cup of raw cashew nuts in a blender jar. The key is to powder them in batches just until powdered. Blend more and you will end up with pasty cashew butter!
Once powdered, sieve through a strainer or sieve to get very fine powder. If you see large bits of cashew left in the sieve, gather all the large bits and blitz this again and then sieve.
Ensure you have a very fine powder to get the best kaju katlis! Next step is to add the sugar and form a dough like mixture.
Just add 1 to 1 ¼ cups of either icing sugar or powdered sugar and sprinkle some water to make a dough. Make sure to sieve the powdered sugar if using it to get fine and smooth kaju katli! If using icing sugar, then it is ok to use as such. You can add any flavor you like to make it more delicious…either cardamom powder, rose water or even some saffron powder, strands etc. I soaked some crushed saffron strands in some water and then added that to make the dough. Add by tablespoons to knead and make a smooth dough. I used only about 2 tablespoons of water.
Roll this dough between sheets of parchment paper, butter paper or silicone mats to the desired thickness; maybe about ¼ inches. Transfer the parchment paper to a tray and cut the dough into desired shapes. I prefer the traditional diamond shapes but you could cut them in to squares too.
IF you like, silver varakh (food quality silver sheets available in any Indian store), place them over the rolled dough before cutting them. I don’t use these in mine. Now, is the difficult part…waiting for the fudge to air dry and turn into a kaju katli! This may take 6-8 hours depending upon the room temperature and humidity in your house. After a few hours, when you feel the burfi is dry enough, gently separate the diamond shaped kaju katlis and transfer to an airtight container; but not before popping one or two into your mouth (hehe!).
Serve either chilled or at room temperature. This type of no cook kaju burfi/katli stays good for quite some time as it has no milk or ghee. If the weather is hot and/or humid, it is best to store in the refrigerator.
KESARIYA KAJU KATLI (Saffron infused Kaju Katli)
As you can notice, I had to make another batch to satisfy my kaju cravings, especially in burfi or katli form and this time decided to use more saffron to color the whole burfi into a lovely golden yellow color, typical of the color saffron adds to any dish! I just crushed the saffron strands and soaked them in hot water for about 10 minutes before adding to make the dough.
Once rolled and cut into diamond shapes, you can distinctly see the lovely saffron colored hue to the kaju katli! Isn’t it super tempting and super gorgeous! Enjoy and Happy Eating!
If you are fond of Indian sweets, then you must try these easy ones too:
Easy Besan/Chickpea Burfi Coconut Burfi Horlicks Milk Powder Burfi Suji Manpasand (Semolina Coconut Fudge)
Now, let’s see how to make this No-cook Kaju Katli shall we?
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