Kaju Katli

Kaju Katli, translating to "cashew slice," is an Indian cashew-based confection traditionally eaten during Diwali, a five day festival of lights celebrated across the globe by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists.

Kaju Katli has a similar consistency to fudge, and is often served in small, diamond-shaped pieces, with a layer of edible silver leaf on top, known as vark or varak. Its glimmery exterior, shaped like a diamond, reminded me of a lovely gemstone, and its soft, melt-in-your-mouth interior has just enough sweetness, with notes of rose water and cardamom.

Every Diwali, my mom brought home a selection of sweets from the local Indian grocery store. Upon seeing a box of Kaju Katli on the kitchen table, my eyes would widen with excitement.

To this day, Kaju Katli remains one of my favorite desserts, so, after many years of enjoying the store-bought version, I set out to make my own at home.

How to Make Kaju Katli

This recipe transforms a simple set of ingredients (cashews, sugar, water, fat, and spices) into a sweet treat.

• First, grind cashews into powder.
• Next, heat sugar and water until it forms a syrupy, thread-like consistency.
• Add the powdered cashews to the syrup, along with cardamom, ghee, and rosewater (if desired).
• Continue to stir the mixture until it thickens, then let it cool.
• Once cooled, roll it out, top with edible silver, and cut into diamonds.

Tips and Tricks for Making Kaju Katli

Through testing, I learned several essential tips to ensuring your Kaju Katli comes out correctly.

For the cashews: Freeze the nuts to create the best texture, which is essential to the success of the recipe. You will want to grind them to a fine powder, but if you over grind them, they will start turning into cashew butter. Ideally, you are looking for the texture of almond flour, slightly coarser than fine sand. Freezing the cashews helps mitigate this risk.

For the equipment: Use a food processor or large spice grinder to grind the cashews and a fine sieve to achieve the final texture. When in doubt, pulse at short intervals, checking the texture frequently. When done correctly, ground cashews should feel soft and pass through a sieve without difficulty. You can use either a medium or fine-mesh sieve, but make sure it is completely dry to prevent the cashew powder from sticking.

For the sugar syrup: When making the sugar syrup, a candy thermometer is helpful because you will want to heat the liquid between 230°F and 235°F. If the temperature rises above 235°F the Kaju Katli will be too hard. If the syrup does go above 235°F, you will need to start over.

How to Know When the Dough is Ready

You also want to be sure to take the cashew dough off the heat at the right time. To test if the cashew dough has thickened enough, you should be able to take a small spoon of the dough and roll a non-sticky ball in your hands. If it's sticky, let it cook longer.

If the dough is too sticky, it will be difficult to work with and won't firm up properly; if this happens, you can always put the dough back on the heat until it reaches the right consistency. If the dough is too dry, it will be crumbly, and the dough won't come together. You can try adding additional ghee or water to moisten it.

What is Vark (Edible Silver Leaf)?

Vark (or varak) is a type of edible silver pounded down into thin sheets. You can find vark at a specialty Indian grocery store or online—make sure you’re purchasing the edible kind. When you purchase silver leaf, you will notice that the thin sheet of silver is placed in between two thin sheets of paper, like a booklet. To apply silver leaf, carefully open up the booklet, and place your palm on the unexposed paper backing of the silver, then flip your hand directly onto the cashew dough. Try to do this as firmly as possible to prevent the silver from flaking.

When applying the silver leaf, make sure to avoid directly touching it to your skin because it’ll easily stick.

Variations on Kaju Katli

Alternatively, you can swap out the vark for chocolate ganache. If topping the Kaju Katli with ganache, make sure to place the chocolate-coated cashew bars in the fridge to let them set properly and prevent the chocolate from melting.

Storing Suggestions

I recommend keeping your Kaju Katli in the fridge to prevent spoilage. Kaju Katli can be kept in the fridge up to 1 week or frozen for up to 6 weeks in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag. Let thaw at room temperature or serve chilled.