Kesar Bhapa Sandesh By Soumita Basu

 

Soumita Basu is a mother of a 8 year old , a software engineer by profession. Married to a sweet tooth food loving “ghoti” Bengali, who was her college sweetheart. Making good food to impress him has been her endeavour since they met. Her passion was furthered by the fact that her mom and sister both having passions for cooking and treating people.

 

 

Kesar/ Bhapa Sandesh  has always one of my favourites. Love for it originated from my childhood memories of “Chittaranjan”, a delicacy of villages in Bankura, my maternal origin . In Kolkata, we get so much varieties of sandesh, that makha sandesh or Payadhi from Balaram came as a rescue. Living overseas, you have to rely on the sweets that come in cans or take a 50 mile drive to get some fresh ones. Being a “petuk” (foodie) yet “lyadhkhor” (lazy) Bengali , this sweet was an easy-peasy option to satiate our sweet tooth anytime. Like any other sweet, it can be created in plethora of flavours like kesar, elaichi, pista, rose, mango and even chocolate.

 

Elaborating the Kesar version for 12 pcs below:

 

Ingredients :

 

• Ricotta Cheese 1lb (500gms)
• Sweet condensed milk (3/4 of a small can)
• Kesar (Saffron) – few strands
• Ghee -1 spoon

 

Method :

 

• Take a heat resistant bowl or bake-ware, and grease with ghee.
• In the bowl, mix the ricotta cheese and sweet condensed milk. Make sure there is no lump.
• Top it up with few strands of kesar. Seal it with a foil.
• Take a deep heavy bottom pan (dekchi) which can hold the bake-ware and has a lid to seal.
• Place a coaster on the pan and fill with water till the coaster is covered.
• Place the bake-ware on the coaster. Close the deep pan (dekchi) with a lid.
• Put on high flame for 45 mins to 1 hour.
• Take off from the flame, let it cool to room temperature.
• Using a butter knife, make slices as you want.
• Once completely cooled, store in fridge for at least an hour or so to let it set.
• Serve chilled.