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Cashew and Pistachio Marzipan (Kaju/Pista Katli)
November 22, 2009 | 30 Comments
Cashew and Pistachio Marzipan with Tuscan Almond Cookies.
“Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.”
~ Erma Bombeck
Since our gym is closed Thanksgiving (next) weekend, we took a basket of goodies for our workout buddies today. They inspire and encourage us week after week – especially our instructor H, who is back roaring after chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.
These little vegan bites are very easy to prepare and especially good for replenishing energy post-workout. The sugar provides an instant glycogen boost while the protein from the nuts helps muscle recovery.
Normally, the nut-sugar paste is rolled out into a thin sheet and cut into diamonds. (“Katli” in Hindi means diamond.) We chose to make them in our ma’amoul moulds. (We’ve posted pics of the moulds and links to where you can buy them HERE.)
CASHEW MARZIPAN (Kaju Katli)
2 cups of powdered cashews : 7.5 oz (215 g)
Between 1 and 1-1/3 cup of of organic raw cane sugar
**More sugar makes a harder fudge. We like it softer and use 1 cup (7.5 oz/ 210g) of fine sugar
half cup of water
a pinch of saffron
½ tsp green cardamom seeds
**Sometimes we add a touch of rose water
Grind the nuts into a fine powder using a spice or coffee grinder. Powder the cardamom seeds along with the nuts. Measure out two loosely packed cups.
Mix the sugar and water in a wide pan and heat on medium until small bubbles begin to appear on the surface.
Stir gently and when it comes to a rolling boil, add the nut powder, saffron, rose water. Stir well to avoid lumps. After a few minutes, the mixture will start thickening and coming together into a loose mass. It will thicken more as it cools.
Put a little drop on a chilled plate. It should harden a bit. Check whether you can roll it into a loose ball.
Take the pan off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. When the mixture is cool enough to handle (but still warm), place the contents onto a clean flat surface.
Knead well with your hands to make it smooth and glossy. If it’s too sticky add more nut powder. If it’s too dry, add a drop or two of unsweetened soymilk/milk.
Roll out the kneaded ball into 1/4 inch thick sheet and cut into diamond shaped pieces. Or make shapes with moulds.
Gather the extra bits, and roll it out again to use them all up or just pop them into your mouth!!
Cool and store dry. Store at room temperature for a week or in the fridge for longer.
PISTACHIO MARZIPAN (Pista Katli)
Follow the same recipe as Cashew Marzipan. 2 cups powdered pistachios are about 6.5 oz (185g).
Some Native Americans observe Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday of November) as a National Day of Mourning.
How I Learned to Savor Thanksgiving – A Native American perspective from Meteor Blades.
Thanksgiving recipes and tips from Mark Bittman.
- Jai (and Bee)
Filed Under: cardamom, Cashew, fudge, marzipan, Pistachio, rose water, Saffron, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes
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30 Comments
Lovely prints on katli. Look so good.
I have never seen such a beautiful kaju/pistachio burfi. I don’t know if I could dare to eat these. Bookmarked.
These are so pretty, maybe I would use them as wall art. So really we should not bother you until 2010
Happy Everything to you too then
Love the last cartoon!
And can you tell me where I can get the mamoul moulds? India? Amazon? And I loved your last time’s Holiday sweets too. Lovely, these are too.
links for ma’amoul moulds
http://jugalbandi.info/2009/08/devil-dash-fudge-coconut-peanut-burfi/
Oops sorry! I missed that. Thanks
Kaju Katli is one of my favourites. Happy Thanksgiving .
Btw, I baked your Fruit & Nut cake today. Thanks.
I love the photos, especially the top one. Marzipan is one of those things that whisper “try to make me” in my ear. Maybe it is time I paid attention. Have a peaceful Thanksgiving Day.
Oh Bee, they are the prettiest kaju katlis ever
Beautiful looking, i am also going to check the link you gace for the mould to A&N
I vacillate between thinking the fuss over Thanksgiving is nonsensical, a Puritanical religious remnant, a politically incorrect leftover from our colonialist history we should shed as would-be world citizens, and the other side of that coin, accepting Thanksgiving as a revelatory peek into the American psyche that should be enjoyed and appreciated as precisely that.
If I were living as an adult in some other country, I would hopefully be patient with the fuss and fol de rol of observing their self declared cultural holiday treasures, and potentially join into the fun some way with my own nod towards celebrating.
I believe your act of sharing food in gratitude with your workout buddies falls squarely into that camp, a lovely gesture of entering into the spirit of what can be a lovely day spent in conscious gratitude for family, friends, and the bounty of harvest.
The marzipan is tantalizing in the detail from the molds it preserves. If it tastes half as delightful as the little bites look, I cannot imagine your workout buddies were anything but grateful to you for sharing and introducing them to a new healthy treat.
Have a lovely prolonged weekend, closed gym or no. Your blog is one thing I will be consciously grateful for as I consider the many gifts present in my life.
I love the designer shape given. Beautiful pictures too.
Looks absolutely delicious, I will try making these your recipe is detailed and simple enough for me to try.
This is how I want my pictures to be, ready to eat off the screen
Hey J&B i see that you guys have been nominated http://www.indibloggies.org/nominations-2008
. Really happy for you people!
congrats and wishing you luck for the final results
I made these after Lavi of homecookerecipes made a showing off of her wonderful katlis. I tried them before diwali a small batch and my elder one alone finished it in no time. Everybody had a small slice to taste. I love this and homemade is lot more soft and tasty from stroe bought. I love these shots Bee the momoul molds are giving it an ethinic touch. I bet by mixing colors and molding them like play dough you make wonderful shapes
Beautiful!
I love these shapes. I bet the Marzipan tastes just delicious.
Molding brings an elegant touch to this old diamond shape katli!
Festive treats,wish I had the moulds.:D
Those look so beautiful, and the best part is I can eat them! Your pictures and recipes are so inspiring…
Warmest wishes,
Alexa
these look beautiful and I am sure would be great gifts – have never tried any marzipan but love the sound of these ones
This is a wonderful presentation of Kaju Katli! Very nice and I’m looking forward to trying it!
[...] http://jugalbandi.info/2009/11/cashew-and-pistachio-marzipan-kajupista-katli/ [...]
I was planning to make this for a party.Can you pls let me know how many pieces you get for the measurements you have given? Thanks very much – I really enjoy your blog & have tried many recipes & they all have been great hits.
if you use moulds, you get varying amounts depending on the shapes. 2 cups of nuts will give you 20 to 30 pieces.
I made the kaju katli and it was a big hit. Also made your perfect tomato salsa. Both turned out very well.Thanks for taking so much care and putting out “fool-proof” recipes ! Happy New Year to both of you.
[...] Cashew and Pistachio Marzipan (kajupista/katli) [...]
[...] For the road: Jai’s signature Kaju Katli (Cashew Marzipan) [...]
Jai/Bee,
These look too pretty to eat!. Did you guys peel/blanch the skin off the pistachios?
we use already peeled pistachios. no blanching.
-jai