Milk Peda Recipe

Milk Pedas on a tray garnished with pistachios

4.81 from 31 votes

Milk Peda Recipe, or doodh peda, a delightfully sweet delicacy, is made with ricotta cheese that ensures sumptuous flavors and divine creaminess with the perfect melt-in-the-mouth texture. Serve these gluten-free doodh Pedas to your loved ones and delve into the irresistible deliciousness.

Prep: 10

Cook: 30

Total: 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Eggless, Gluten-free, Vegetarian

Servings: PEDAS

Calories: 72kcal

Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

FOR PLAIN PEDAS

15 oz Ricotta Cheese (Use 1.5 cup of crumbled mawa instead of ricotta cheese)
1 tablespoon Ghee or unslated butter
½ cup Milk Powder
⅓ cup Powdered Sugar + 1½ tablespoons more
1 teaspoon Elaichi Powder (Cardamon Powder)

GARNISH

⅛ teaspoon Saffron strands
2 tablespoons Crushed pistachios and almonds

FOR TRI COLORED PEDAS

2 tablespoons Crushed Pistachios (for green color)
¼ teaspoon Saffron strands (saffron color)
2 teaspoons Warm milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

PREPARING MILK PEDA

Heat ricotta cheese over medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed pan.
Stir continuously. Soon the cheese will start to melt and spread.
Use a big spoon because the cheese will start to splatter as it bubbles.
Tip — Do not leave the mixture unattended — The ingredients may stick to the pan when cooking, making continuous stirring an essential part of the cooking process. Constant stirring also ensures even roasting of the ingredients, which results in the best-cooked pedas.
Keep stirring until the moisture starts to evaporate. The whole process will take about 15-20 minutes over medium-low heat.
Now add ghee to the pan and stir to combine. Soon the mixture will start to thicken and start to leave the sides of the pan.
Stir constantly, and soon the cheese will come together like dough. Add milk powder to it.
Tip — Ensure the mixture is warm before adding milk powder and sugar to mawa. If mawa is extremely hot, then wait for it to cool down. If milk powder and sugar are added to the hot mawa, the mixture will become runny and difficult to work with.
Mix until combined. Turn off the heat.
Add powdered sugar and cardamom powder.
Mix it well until the sugar is thoroughly combined with other ingredients, forming a homogeneous mixture.
It's the right time to remove from heat. Once the peda mixture has cooked well, it begins to come together in the pan. This is the right time to remove the mixture from heat as cooking for a longer duration will turn the mix dry and, therefore, difficult to shape.
Transfer the peda mixture to a bowl.
Let it cool.
Once it is cooled, knead the dough briefly for 2-3 minutes with the heel of your hand until you get a smooth peda dough.
Divide the peda dough into equal portions. Roll the peda dough into a ball.
Use a cookie stamp or a mold and shape the pedas with the design of your choice.
Sprinkle cardamom powder, saffron strands, and assorted nuts.

MAKING TRI COLORED PEDAS

For pista paste - add crushed pista to a grinder, add 2 tablespoons of water, and grind it to a smooth paste.
Divide the dough into equal parts.
Separate the white peda dough. To the second dough, add pista paste and knead it well.
To the third dough, add saffron mixed with warm milk and knead it well.
Tri colored peda dough is ready.
Flatten the dough.
Use a cookie cutter to shape the pedas.
Shape and give it round edges and peda is ready.
Repeat it with rest of the dough.
Tri-colored pedas are ready.

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use Ricotta cheese?

The traditional method comprises simmering milk for a long time until it is reduced to milk solids. Therefore, to cut back on the conventional way, I have used ricotta cheese to shorten the cooking time.

Additionally, Ricotta cheese substitutes Mawa in this recipe as it brings excellent results. Ricotta is simmered over a medium flame to remove the moisture. The dehydrated milk solids that are left after the moisture is evaporated is a creamy stuff that is then used to prepare this Indian milk fudge.

Why are my milk pedas dry?

The possible reason for dry pedas is overcooking, which removes all the moisture and renders the mixture dry. A moist mixture is necessary for easy shaping of the pedas.

If you end up having an overcooked and dry mix, you can easily make it moist by sprinkling some milk, adding a little ghee, and kneading it for a while. This will loosen the mixture and prepare it for easy shaping.

Why are my dhoodh pedas chewy?

The doodh pedas turn chewy after they have been cooked for a more extended period after adding the sugar. You should remove the mixture from the heat as soon as it begins to leave the pan.

However, if your pedas feel chewy, you can easily fix them. You can add an almond meal or grated paneer to the dough and knead it well. This is a quick hack for the chewy pedas, which turns them into delightful treats again.

Can I make these milk pedas in advance?

Yes, sure you can! Make these Milk pedas 2 days in advance and relish them for another 4 to 5 days, as they keep fresh for these many days at room temperature.

How can I best serve these Ricotta cheese pedas?

These delicious pedas can be relished fresh or chilled in the refrigerator. However, remember to garnish them with saffron strands and slivered pistachios to add more charm and flavor.

How can I best store these milk treats?

Milk-based desserts should be consumed fresh and on the same day, as they may get spoilt soon. But you can store them in the refrigerator to serve them later.

For storing these little marvels, place parchment paper in a container and place them in it. Ensure that the lid is air-tight for better preservation. You can relish these milk padas over the next 4 to 5 days.

Can I freeze these delightful doodh pedas?

Of course, you can! You can freeze this blissful dessert in an air-tight, freezer-safe container and relish them for another month. Thaw them in the refrigerator when needed.

Nutrition