Kaju Katli (Sugar-Free, Cardamom)
Thin sugar free kaju katli with powdered cashews, a monk fruit-erythritol sweetener syrup, ghee, and green cardamom. Diamond-cut cashew fudge for festival trays and gift boxes.
Equipment
- Spice grinder or high-speed blender pulse only
- Heavy-bottomed nonstick pan
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter
Ingredients
For the cashew dough
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (kaju) 200 g, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered monk fruit-erythritol blend 150 g
- 1/4 cup water 60 ml
- 1 teaspoon ghee plus more for greasing parchment and hands
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground green cardamom (elaichi) or seeds from 4 to 5 pods
- pinch fine salt
Optional garnish
- edible silver leaf (vark) optional, for a traditional finish
- finely chopped pistachios optional, for color on the tray
Instructions
Powder the cashews
- Wipe the cashews dry if they feel damp. Pulse in short bursts until you have a fine powder, like soft sand. Stop as soon as it looks uniform. Do not run the blender continuously or the nuts will turn into cashew butter.
- Sift the powder if you see larger bits, and re-pulse those pieces. Set the fine cashew powder aside with the cardamom and salt.
Cook the sweetener syrup
- Lightly grease a sheet of parchment with ghee and keep a second sheet ready.
- In the pan, combine the powdered monk fruit-erythritol blend and water. Warm over medium heat, stirring until the sweetener fully dissolves and the liquid looks clear and lightly bubbling, about 2 to 3 minutes. You want a thin syrup that coats a spoon, not a hard candy stage.
- Lower the heat. Add the cashew powder in 2 to 3 additions, stirring constantly so no dry pockets remain. Cook 2 to 4 minutes until the mix thickens into a soft dough that starts to leave the sides of the pan. It should look like warm cookie dough, not a wet paste.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon ghee. Let the dough sit 1 to 2 minutes until it is cool enough to handle.
Knead, roll, and cut
- Turn the dough onto the greased parchment. Knead with lightly greased hands for 1 to 2 minutes until the surface looks smooth and slightly silky. If it cracks while kneading, it is too dry: wet your fingertips and knead again. If it sticks heavily, dust with 1 teaspoon extra cashew powder.
- Place the second parchment sheet on top. Roll to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, aiming for an even sheet.
- Peel off the top parchment. While still slightly warm, cut into diamonds with a sharp knife. Optional: press a small piece of silver leaf (vark) onto a few diamonds for a traditional garnish. Add chopped pistachios only if you want color.
- Let the pieces set 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature until firm enough to lift cleanly. Separate and store once fully cool.
Notes
Powdered sweetener only: Granulated erythritol stays gritty in katli. Use a powdered monk fruit-erythritol blend, or pulse granulated erythritol to a fine powder before measuring.
Blend brands vary: Some blends are sweeter than sugar, some closer 1:1. Start with the listed amount, taste a cooled pinch of dough, and adjust next batch. If the dough tastes cooling (erythritol chill), a little extra cardamom helps.
Cashew texture: Fine powder is the goal. Oily paste means you overprocessed. That batch will feel greasy and may not roll cleanly.
Warm knead: Knead while the dough is still warm. Cold dough cracks. A 10-second return to the warm pan fixes a stiff batch.
Silver leaf: Optional garnish only. Use food-grade edible silver leaf if you want the classic shop look. Skip it for everyday trays.
Storage: Airtight at cool room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving so the bite softens.
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