Kaju Katli

India’s most loved mithai

Kaju katli is one of India’s most loved mithai: thin, pale diamonds of cashew fudge that melt on the tongue and finish with a whisper of cardamom. The name says it all, with kaju meaning cashew and katli meaning a thin slice. This recipe needs only cashews, sugar and water, and the whole result depends on technique: a correctly cooked one-string syrup and a dough that is cooked just long enough to gather into a smooth mass.

Cashews arrived in India with Portuguese traders in the sixteenth century and took root along the Goan and Konkan coasts, where they became a key crop. Over time the nut found its way into the halwai’s repertoire, and kaju katli (also called kaju barfi) became the sweet of choice for Diwali, weddings, Raksha Bandhan and festive gift boxes. The shimmering layer of chandi vark, edible silver leaf, marks it as a sweet for celebration.

What you will need:

Ingredient	Quantity
Cashews (whole, unsalted, raw)	500g
Sugar	200g
Water	80g (80mL)
Green cardamom powder (optional)	1g
Edible silver leaf (chandi vark)	As needed (2-4 sheets)

Equipments:

Digital Scale
Spice grinder or mixer-grinder with a dry jar
Fine-mesh sieve
Heavy-bottomed non-stick pan or kadai (24-26cm)
Silicone spatula
Silicone mat (silpat)
Rolling pin
Sharp knife or pizza cutter
Ruler (optional, for even diamonds)
Airtight container lined with parchment

General Details:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes (including cooling)

Yield: About 690g, roughly 45 diamonds

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Indian Sweets (Mithai)

Storage: Airtight at room temperature for up to 7 days, or refrigerated for up to 3 weeks; bring to room temperature before serving

Instructions:

Prepare the Cashew Powder

Grind the cashews in short 3-4 second pulses, shaking the jar between pulses, until they form a fine, dry powder.
Sift the powder through a fine-mesh sieve and regrind only the large lumps in another quick pulse.
Stir the cardamom powder into the sifted cashew powder, if using.

Make the One-String Syrup

Combine the sugar and water in the pan over medium heat and stir only until the sugar dissolves.
Simmer without stirring until the syrup reaches one-string consistency (about 105-106°C), when a drop pressed between thumb and finger pulls into a single thread.

Cook the Dough

Lower the heat to low and add the cashew powder to the syrup in one go.
Stir continuously for 5-8 minutes until the mixture thickens, loses its gloss and starts to lump together into one mass that leaves the sides of the pan.
Test a small piece: if it rolls into a smooth, non-sticky ball once slightly cooled, take the pan off the heat immediately.

Knead, Roll and Finish

Turn the hot mass out onto the silpat, fold the mat over it and knead through the silpat for 1-2 minutes, pressing and folding until smooth and supple.
Sprinkle the cardamom powder over the dough, if using, and knead it in evenly through the silpat.
Roll the dough between the silpat and a sheet of parchment to an even 3-4 mm thickness.
Lay the silver leaf over the top surface and press gently with the backing paper to adhere.
Cut into 3cm strips, then cut diagonally to form the iconic diamond shape.
Let the diamonds set for 15-20 minutes before lifting them off the mat.

Serving Suggestions

Stack in a lined mithai box with a few kesar pedas and pista rolls for a classic Diwali gift.
Serve two diamonds alongside hot masala chai or filter coffee after dinner.
Arrange on a brass thali with marigold petals for a puja or festive table centrepiece.
Crumble leftover pieces over kulfi or rabri as a nutty topping.
Use the scrap trimmings as a filling for karanji or gujiya.

More Variations

Kesar Kaju Katli – Bloom a pinch of saffron in a teaspoon of warm water and add it to the syrup for a golden colour and floral aroma.
Kaju Pista Roll – Roll a log of pistachio dough inside a sheet of cashew dough and slice into spirals.
Rose Kaju Katli – Add a few drops of rose water at the end of cooking and finish with crushed dried rose petals instead of vark.

Nutrition Profile / 100g

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	495 kcal
Total Fat	30.7 g
Saturated Fat	5.5 g
Carbohydrates	49.2 g
Sugars	32.1 g
Protein	12.7 g
Fiber	2.3 g
Sodium	9 mg

Note: Calculated per 100g of finished kaju katli (about 690g yield), assuming most of the syrup water evaporates during cooking. Silver leaf is not included.

Approximate values based on recipe formula. Actual nutrition may vary.

Tips for Best Results:

Use fresh, whole, pale cashews at room temperature; cashews straight from the fridge release oil faster in the grinder and turn pasty.
Broken cashews (tukda) are cheaper and work just as well as whole ones, as long as they are fresh and free of rancid odour.
The 2:5 sugar-to-cashew ratio gives a lightly sweet, nut-forward katli; the syrup stage matters more than the exact sugar weight.
If the syrup goes past one-string to two-string, add a tablespoon of water and bring it back; an overcooked syrup gives a dry, cracking dough.
If the dough cracks while kneading, it is overcooked: sprinkle a few drops of warm water or milk and knead again until smooth.
If the dough is sticky after kneading, return it to the pan on low heat for another minute; it was undercooked.
Silver leaf is very light and tears easily; handle it by its paper backing, keep it away from drafts and never touch it with warm fingers.
Look for vark that is certified as made without animal-derived beaters; it is widely available labelled vegetarian or vegan.

Troubleshooting Guide:

Issue	Possible Cause	Fix
Dough is oily and greasy	Cashews over-ground into butter or ground while cold	Pulse briefly at room temperature and sift instead of grinding longer
Dough cracks when rolled	Overcooked dough or syrup past one-string	Knead in a few drops of warm water or milk until smooth
Dough is sticky and won’t hold shape	Undercooked dough	Return to low heat for 1-2 minutes and repeat the ball test
Grainy texture	Coarse powder or sugar crystallised in the syrup	Sift thoroughly; do not stir the syrup once the sugar dissolves
Katli turns hard after a day	Overcooked dough or stored uncovered	Cook only to the ball test and store airtight
Silver leaf won’t stick	Dough surface cooled and dried out	Apply vark while the rolled sheet is still slightly warm
Uneven diamonds	Uneven rolling thickness	Roll between two guides or use a ruler for strips

Snapshot Recipe

Line the work surface with a silicone mat
Have a sieve and a heavy non-stick pan ready
Cashews	grind sift	stir in	cook on low till it gathers	knead warm	roll 3-4 mm apply vark	cut shapes
Cardamom Powder
Sugar		1-string syrup 105°C
Water
Edible Silver Leaf

Kaju katli is perfect for Diwali boxes, puja offerings, wedding favours or simply a small, elegant bite with masala chai. Once you have mastered the syrup and the knead, it is one of the fastest mithai you can make at home.

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