Chocolate Peda using Ricotta Cheese

Blogging Marathon# 45: Week 1/ Day 2
Theme: Diwal Festival Specials
Dish: Chocolate Peda using Ricotta Cheese 

After posting a very traditional Diwali treat yesterday, today I have a dessert that is a delicious variation to the more traditional peda/ milk fudge. Adding chocolate and using ricotta cheese make this quite a fusion of western and Indian cooking.

Chocolate burfi and peda have been around for a very long time and my husband happens to love these chocolate variations. Making pedas in the traditional way means hovering around the stove for hours together to boil the milk until it gets to the creamy, thick consistency. What kills me is the amount of peda that is finally made -- it is miniscule when compared to the quantity of milk that goes into it. I completely understand that the peda made the long way tastes MUCH better than these short cut ones, but I neither have the time nor the patience to make it. So I'll leave that to make when I have absolutely nothing else to do or to the more patient people.

This quick peda takes about 25~30 minutes to make and I really liked how it turned out. I saw a few recipes online that had milk powder as one of the ingredient, but since I didn't have it I added some milk. These chocolate pedas tasted great but were a little chewy. I am going to try this recipe with milk powder next and see if there's a change in the texture.

Ingredients: Makes about 12~15 medium size pedas

Ricotta Cheese - 1cup
Milk - ½cup + 3tbsp
Condensed Milk - 1cup (add more if you like your burfi sweeter)
Unsweetened Cocoa powder - 2tbsp
Ghee - 2tbsp
Ground Cardamom - a pinch
Almonds or Cashews - 2tbsp, chopped (optional)

Method:

• In a nonstick pan, add the ricotta cheese and cook on medium-low flame, stirring occasionally, until the cheese starts to dry out a little bit.
• In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and 3tbsp milk. Whisk until well combined.
• Add the remaining ½cup milk and cook till the mixture starts to thicken a little bit.
• Add the cocoa-milk mixture, condensed milk and mix well. Cook stirring until the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan, this will take about 8~10 minutes.
• Finally add ground cardamom and the ghee. Mix well and remove onto a greased plate.
• Let the mixture cool for a few minutes or until easy to handle. Using lightly greased hands, divide the mixture into small lemon size balls and roll them into smooth balls or flatten them a little like dics or make into any of your favorite shapes. Place a cashew or almond on top as garnish. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy!!

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 45.
Linking this to 'Favorite Recipe Event -- Diwali Specials', being hosted by Mayuri. Swathi is the brain behind this lovely event.