Kalakand
Sweet cheese confection from India
title: "Kalakand" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["indian-desserts", "pakistani-desserts", "cheese-desserts", "rajasthani-desserts"] description: "Sweet cheese confection from India" topic_path: "geography/india" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalakand" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Sweet cheese confection from India ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox prepared food"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Kalakand |
| image | Koderma Kalakand.jpg |
| caption | Kalakand from Koderma, India |
| region | Indian subcontinent |
| course | Dessert |
| main_ingredient | Chhena, milk, water, sugar, ghee or butter, pistachios |
| country | India |
| :: |
| name = Kalakand | image = Koderma Kalakand.jpg | caption = Kalakand from Koderma, India | alternate_name = | region = Indian subcontinent | national_cuisine = | creator = | course = Dessert | served = | main_ingredient = Chhena, milk, water, sugar, ghee or butter, pistachios | variations = | calories = | other = | image_size = | country = India Kalakand is a sweet cheese confection from India. It has been described as "akin to Italian cheesecake, firmer in texture than milk cake, but softer than burfis."
History
The earliest mention of kalakand as a sweet appears in the 19th-century Urdu text Zīnat al-ʿarūs. However, contemporary sources state that kalakand was invented in the Baba Thakur Das & Sons halwai (confectioner) shop in Alwar, Rajasthan in 1947, where it is still sold today.{{cite book|author=Dorling Kindersley Limited|date=2019|title= Delhi, Agra and Jaipur|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gkOwDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT326|publisher=DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL|pages=326|quote=Baba Thakur Das & Sons: Alwar is known for its local version of a milk-cake sweet called kalakand, invented at this shop...}}
Preparation
To make kalakand, chhena (Indian cheese) is prepared and strained. Separately, whole milk and water are mixed, boiled, and stirred continuously until the mixture is reduced to half its original volume. The strained chhena is softened using a food processor or by hand kneading. It is then added to the reduced milk-water mixture and cooked until it becomes a thick paste. Then sugar is added, and the mixture is cooked on low heat and stirred continuously until it thickens to a fudge-like consistency. Then ghee (clarified butter) or butter is added, and the mixture is cooked and stirred another five minutes until it acquires a glossy appearance. The mixture is spread onto a buttered tray or platter in the form of a rectangle and garnished with pistachios. After cooling, it is cut into squares and served.
References
References
- Lakshmi Wennakoski-Bielicki. (2015). "Pure Vegetarian: 108 Indian-Inspired Recipes to Nourish Body and Soul". Shambhala.
- Meg Cotner. (2012). "Food Lovers' Guide To® Queens: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings". Globe Pequot.
- Mohammad Abdul Hamid. (1890). "Zīnat al-ʿarūs". [[Nawal Kishore Press]].
- Abdul Majeed Sālik. (1957). "Muslim Saqafat Hindustan Mein". [[Institute of Islamic Culture]].
- Team Bizdom. (2018). "Bizdom Quiz Book". Team Bizdom.
- Chef. Kumar Bhaskar. (2021). "Theory of Culinary Arts". Rudra Publications.
- (July 2, 2020). "20 Indian sweets recipes for you to try at home". Condé Nast Traveller India.
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