Simple Sandesh Recipe: {The Homespun Life – Food Blog}

It’s been quite a while since I had any adventures in the kitchen, largely because my kitchen has been packed away in a pile of boxes for about a month. So when some friends invited us over for Indian food last week I jumped at the chance to make dessert, and I decided on Sandesh.

Sandesh is one of the most popular, oldest, and traditional desserts in India. The basic recipe couldn’t be simpler – paneer (Indian cottage cheese) and sugar. From there, the chef can add pretty much any flavor or spice she can think of, though Sandesh are traditionally flavored with cardamom.

As I learned, though, the actual construction of these delicious truffle-like treats takes a skilled hand. Luckily, I had a professional on my side. I called my good friend Shormila for tips before getting started, and she simply passed the phone off to her mother, a proclaimed “Indian Dessert Expert”. Boy, was that the right move! She gave me very specific instructions, and thanks to her my experiment was a success.

Dessert in a Cup

Confession: I didn’t actually make this myself, but it was so creatively delicious I just had to blog about it.

It came from Bit of Swiss, the surprisingly impressive bakery connected with our local grocery store. We’ve been eyeballing their display for quite a while, so as part of my surprise Valentine’s dinner Jon decided to give it a go. (Good call!)