What would be perfect than Rose for Valentine's day?  
Rose! A symbol of True Love.
Rose Kalakand! A Romantic dessert to show how much you Love & Care your Sweet Heart.

Love is so pure no matter whether it is between husband and wife, parent and kid or between siblings. Dedicate this Pink (Gulabi) Gulab (Rose) Kalakand to whomever you love from the bottom of your heart.

Traditional Kalakand:

• Kalakand is a traditional milk dessert which is most popular in India, prepared by solidifying the milk along with the cottage cheese to get soft and delicate burfi.
• Kalakand is topped with sliced nuts and flavoured with cardamom powder (or rose water).

Instant Kalakand:

• Kalakand could be made easier with the condensed milk and Paneer (or ricotta) which could be done in less than 15 minutes.
• Condensed milk and Paneer are cooked together until they get thickened enough to spread in a greased plate.
• Then, Kalakand is flavoured with cardamom powder and then, sliced nuts have to be topped after plated the kalakand.

Gulab Kalakand (My Version):

• I always love to do things from scratch (and no doubt, when I make for my Love!).
• I take 2 litres of fresh cow's milk in which 1 litre will get thickens and the remaining 1 litre will turn into cottage cheese.
• As you think, making from scratch is not time-consuming. In fact, spending an extra 15 minutes would take the milk dessert to the next level of heavenly taste and believe me,  it is definitely worth the time you put.
• What's Special in my Kalakand recipe? Rose!
• Since I make for Special occasion (Loveday), Rose petals flashed in my mind and hence, come up with this deliciously delightful pink dessert.
• Rose petals, freshly prepared Rosewater (extracted from the fresh rose petals ) and homemade rose syrup (with no artificial colours and flavours) would gonna do the Pink magic to the Kalakand and add the heavenly Romantic Gulab flavour to the kalakand.
• For topping? Yes, I do add some dried rose petals along with the chopped nuts. And Kesar, yet another hit in Gulab Kalakand.

Explore Homemade Rose Syrup recipe here.

So, what would be a better option than this to impress your Sweet Heart? Prepare yourselves to prepare this Lovely dessert for your Sweet Love on this Special Loveday. Impress your Love & Little love (like I did!).

Usually, I make Kalakand from scratch and is not time-consuming. If you are a busy-go person, you can try Instant Kalakand and still impress your Soulmate. Anyhow, Kalakand would be delicious with the soft texture and chunky grains of fresh paneer would take us to heaven from time to time on each bite. My Sweet Love & Little Love gave a 5-star rating to my Gulab Kalakand and it's time for you to get the same.

So, what you need is Milk, some Edible rose petals and Loads of Love in your heart to get the Love filled Gulab Kalakand. Let's go, get to work!

⏲ Preparation Time: Slicing nuts, 2 minutes
⏲ Cooking Time: Thickening milk meanwhile making fresh paneer (15 minutes),
                         Making Kalakand (15 minutes)
⏲ Waiting Time: To get set the kalakand (2 hours in the fridge)
🍴 Yields: 40 to 45 delicate square pieces (1/4 inch each)

What to Use?

• Milk - 2 litres
• Lime juice - 2 tbsp or more (or curd or vinegar) for curdling the milk
• Brown sugar - 100g
• Dried rose petals (edible) - 3 tbsp + 1 tbsp for topping
• Homemade Rosewater - 1 tsp
• Homemade Rose syrup - 2 tbsp (use any well-branded rosewater and rose syrup if you can't make at home)
• Sliced or chopped nuts (Almonds and Pistachios) - 1 tbsp +2 tbsp (for topping)
• Kesar or Saffron - a few strands (for topping)

Gulab Kalakand | Rose Kalakand     

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Soft & delicate milk sweet made by solidifying the thickened milk and cottage cheese, flavoured with rose petals, rose water & rose syrup and topped with dried rose petals, Kesar and sliced nuts.

Steps Involved:

In a heavy-bottomed pan, pour 1 litre of milk and allow it to reduce to half in quantity, stirring occasionally. In another pan, pour another 1litre of milk and bring it to boil. When it comes to boil, turn off the flame and add lime juice (or curd or vinegar) and allow it to get curdled. Get the curdled milk in a muslin cloth and wash it in freshwater to remove the traces of lime (if using lime juice for curdling). Squeeze gently and crumble the fresh paneer (cottage cheese). Add crumbled paneer to the half reduced milk and stir. Add brown sugar and stir until the mixture thickens. Add dried rose petals, rose water and rose syrup to the kalakand and switch off the flame. Transfer the Gulab kalakand to a greased plate and top the dessert with dried rose petals, Kesar and chopped nuts. Allow the Gulab kalakand to get set in the fridge for about 2 hours. Cut into pieces and Enjoy the Love Feast!

Step-by-Step Procedure with Pictures

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How to Make?

• Take a heavy-bottomed pan and pour 1 litre of milk in it.

• Let it boil and reduce to half in volume. Stir occasionally as stirring prevents the milk solids from getting glued to the bottom.

• Meanwhile, in another pan, take the remaining 1 litre of milk.

• Bring milk to boil and switch off the flame.

• Add lime juice (or curd or vinegar) to the hot milk and stir to begin the curdling process.

• Once the milk got completely curdled, drain the whey and transfer the cottage cheese to muslin cloth.

• Wash the cottage cheese in freshwater (or preferably running water) as it may be impacted with the traces of lime. Skip if using curd for the curdling process.

• Squeeze the cottage cheese gently (no need to drain the whey completely!).

• Crumble the cottage cheese you gotta get, with your hands. (don't crumble much if you like chunky bites in the end-product!).

• By this time, the milk would have been reduced to half in volume.

• Add the crumbled paneer to the thickened milk and continue to stir.

• Add brown sugar and keep stirring.

• The mixture will get solidifies and leave the pan in a few minutes. 
• Add some dried rose petals to the kalakand.

• Add freshly prepared rosewater (or any good-branded rosewater).
• Add homemade rose syrup (or well-branded rose syrup or Roohafza) to get pinkish colour. Mine is pale pink due to the addition of brown sugar. If you use white sugar (I  don't prefer!) you would get perfect pink. 

• Add the chopped nuts (almonds and pistachios) and turn off the burner.

• It's the perfect time to set the Gulab kalakand. Grease the plate with little butter or ghee and transfer the kalakand to the plate.

• Evenly spread and Smoothen the Gulab kalakand with a spoon.

• Time for toppings! Sprinkle a good amount of dried rose petals (edible) on top.

• Sprinkle a few strands of saffron (Kesar).

• Sprinkle some chopped (or sliced nuts) on top. I have added almonds and pistachios.

• Press gently the toppings with a spoon.

• Lend 2 hours for the Gulab kalakand to get set in the refrigerator.

• Cut the kalakand into pieces and serve chilled!

Visual Love Treat:

Tips:

• Use a non-stick pan to avoid glueing the milk solids at the bottom of the pan.
• Don't cook the kalakand for a long time as it may turn dry which we not at all want in the absolutely soft delicate milk fudge!
• Do not undercook the kalakand as your kalakand may fail to set and get firm!
• So, what's the right timing? When the mixture thickens enough to spread in the greased plate. The mixture would start to leave the pan but still soft enough to spread on the plate is the right timing to get plated the kalakand. Don't delay! Transfer asap and allow it to cool down.

Gulabi Gulab Kalakand!

With Heartful of Love for Sweet Hearted Love!