A practical, point-by-point recipe to make smooth, sliceable kaju katli and cut perfect shapes with your Rahman Steels cookie cutters.
Yields: ~20–24 pieces (depends on cutter size)
Ingredients (weight preferred):
- 250 g unsalted cashews, finely ground (≈ 2 cups whole)
- 250 g granulated sugar (≈ 1¼ cups)
- 60 ml water (¼ cup)
- 1 tbsp ghee (15 g) — optional, for sheen & softness
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder — optional
- Silver vark (chandi) — optional
- Little ghee or neutral oil for greasing / dusting
Steps
- Make fine cashew powder
- Pulse the cashews in a dry grinder/blender in short bursts until very fine.
- Sift the powder to remove any coarse bits. Don’t over-blend — too much heat releases oil.
- Prepare sugar syrup
- In a heavy-bottom pan combine sugar + water and stir to dissolve.
- Heat on medium until it comes to a gentle boil. Cook until it reaches one-string consistency: take a drop between finger and thumb and it forms a thin thread. (Visual cue is better than time.)
- Add cashew powder
- Lower the flame. Gradually add the cashew powder to the syrup while stirring continuously with a spatula to avoid lumps.
- Keep stirring; the mixture will thicken and start to leave the sides of the pan.
- Finish the dough
- Add the ghee and cardamom powder when the mixture comes together. Stir until it forms a smooth mass that can be gathered into a ball and does not stick much to the pan.
- If it’s too wet/soft, cook a little longer. If too dry/grainy, add ½–1 tsp warm milk or a little melted ghee and knead.
- Transfer & knead
- Immediately transfer the hot mass to a greased plate or parchment. Let it cool just enough to handle (warm, not hot).
- Lightly knead for 30–60 seconds until smooth and glossy.
- Roll out
- Place the dough between two sheets of parchment (or on a greased board). Using a lightly greased rolling pin, roll to an even thickness of about 3–4 mm (thin is traditional).
- For very clean cuts, chill the rolled slab in the fridge 10–15 minutes to firm it slightly.
- Apply silver vark (optional)
- If using, place silver vark on the slab while it’s warm/soft so it adheres, or apply after slight cooling as per vark instructions.
- Cut shapes with Rahman Steels cookie cutters
- Lightly grease or dust the cookie cutter rim with a touch of ghee or powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
- Press cutter straight down firmly, then lift vertically. Use a thin spatula or palette knife to gently ease the cut piece out from under the cutter if it sticks.
- If you want diamond pieces (traditional), use a diamond cutter or cut rectangles and then into diamonds. For perfectly sharp edges, cut after chilling the slab briefly.
- Finish & store
- Arrange pieces on a tray. Let them cool completely to room temperature.
- Store kaju katli in an airtight container. At room temperature they keep well for about 7–10 days; refrigerate for up to 2 weeks (bring to room temp before serving).
Quick Hack
- Grainy/crumbly dough: syrup was undercooked or cashew powder too coarse — cook a little longer or add ½–1 tsp warm milk and knead.
- Sticky/wet dough: syrup overcooked too long? (rare) or too much liquid; cook gently to firm it up, stirring.
- Pieces stick to cutter: chill slab before cutting, or lightly grease/dust cutter rim.
Tips for best results with Rahman Steels cookie cutters
- Use unsalted, fresh cashews and a fine, even powder.
- Keep cutter rims perpendicular and press straight down for clean edges.
- Choose cutter size based on slab thickness — larger cutters need a firmer slab (chill first).
