Kalakhand, is the Indian version of milk cake, oozing with the goodness of milk, sugar and nuts.

Now there’s “easy” and there’s “too much effort” when it comes to making desserts. This one has gone from “too time-consuming” to “goodness me, how is something so easy, so delicious?!”. Try it, I’ve had many folks ask me for this recipe because it is just so delicious and they also couldn’t believe how easy it is to make.

Come December, my mom, grandmother, and all the aunties we knew would get busy with preparing for Christmas. They’de slave over the stove, or oven for hours. Gauva cheese, dodhol (a Goan jaggery sweet), marizpan- all delicious but oh so time consuming. Here I’ve found shortcuts and this particular dessert takes away the hours you’d need stirring milk on the stove to just minutes in the microwave.

Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 18 minutes, Set time: 1 hour

Servings: approximately 20 pieces

Ingredients:

• 15 oz Ricotta cheese
• 14oz Condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon Rose water
• 1/4 teaspoon Cardamom powder
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped Almonds or almond slivers

Method:

1. In a microwave safe rectangular dish, mix the Ricotta Cheese and the Condensed Milk well. Make sure there are no lumps, mashing them with the back of a spoon or using a whisk
2. Place the dish in the microwave, uncovered and cook for 5 minutes
3. Remove from microwave and stir the contents well, making sure you loosen the edges
4. Place the dish back in the microwave, uncovered, and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the microwave, stir
5. Microwave for 2 minutes, covered. Take out and stir
6. Now place back in the microwave, cross cover the dish and microwave for 2 minutes. Then remove and stir
7. Microwave for another 6 minutes, uncovered taking out and stirring every 2 minutes
8. Once done, add in the Cardamom powder and rose water and stir well again
9. Evenly flatten the mix into the dish, spreading and flattening it
10. Sprinkle chopped Almonds on top of the mix and press them down to help them stick to the top of the dessert
11. Cover the dish and place in the bridge, setting it for atleast an hour.
12. Remove and cut into squares before serving