Khoya or Mawa Peda are the perfect treat for special occasions or Indian festivals such as Diwali, Rakshabandhan or Janmashtami. The intense, nutty flavour of mawa/khoya is so delicious in this sugar-free sweets recipe.
HOMEMADE REFINED SUGAR-FREE PEDA RECIPE
NO-ADDED SUGAR INDIAN SWEETS
Believe me when I say you will not know that this peda has no added sugar! The taste is almost exact, if not identical to Mawa Peda.
Because this peda does not have refined sugar, you could argue that they are “healthy peda”. However, with the addition of mawa, which is full-fat milk solids, the sweet is still high in calories from the fat content.
Instead of used refined white sugar, we have used a 100% natural artificial sweetener. This sweetener comprises of a blend of stevia and erythritol.
We have been hard at work recently getting through our artificial sweetener tub and have made some delicious goodies such as:
No added sugar Badam Katli
No added sugar Shrikhand
How to make Boondi Sugar-free
WHAT IS MAWA/KHOYA MADE OF?
Mawa or khoya is also known as Khoa in some places too. Mawa is dried evaporated milk solids and is used primarily as an ingredient in Indian sweets and savoury dishes.
Khoya is used widely in North Indian and Rajasthani cuisine . Khoya is rich, nutty in flavour, slightly oily and has a granular or danedar texture.
The traditional method of making Mawa is thickening milk in an iron pan. However, this method is time and energy-consuming.
You can make khoya at home in less time and with an easy method with just a handful of ingredients.
Check out Homemade Chikna Khoya recipe, if you are after making creamy and melt in mouth Gujarati style Mohanthal
Did you know that you can make Khoya using ricotta cheese in the microwave too? Have a look at our Make Mawa/Khoya in the Microwave with Ricotta cheese.
This Beetroot Kalakand recipe using Mawa/Khoya is phenomenal.
NOTE – In the video of the mawa peda, first we have shown you how to make Homemade Mawa.
SLOW ROASTED MAWA PEDA
WHY DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THESE MAWA PEDA?
INGREDIENTS FOR SUGAR-FREE MAWA PEDA/ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER MAWA PEDA
To prepare this truly addictive and impressive peda you will require a couple of ingredients. I know, you can’t believe that this recipe has such a short list of ingredients!
≫ MAWA/KHOYA – the main ingredient for this recipe is Mawa or Khoya. It is base for many Indian sweets, also added to the savoury recipes too. We have used homemade mawa, but you can use store-bought too.
You can of course use normal sugar in place of sweetener if you prefer.
≫ Cardamom and nutmeg powder not only enhances the flavour of these enticing peda, but in helping to digest heavy and rich food. However, this is totally optional.
HOW LONG CAN I STORE MAWA PEDA
The longer that mawa peda are cooked, the longer their shelf-life. These pedas can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
Can be stored in the fridge to keep fresh for a long period (3-4 weeks) however bring it to room temperature before consuming.
TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST MAWA PEDA
Slow roasted peda is relatively easy to make but it does require attention and patience.
≫ Make sure you are using fresh and good quality mawa for this recipe, which is not mouldy or smelly or slimy.
≫ Always use thick bottom pan or kadai , to roast the mawa you will need a pan or kadai that is with a heavy base to prevent stick or burnt the mawa.
≫ Roast mawa on the lower heat/setting . It takes a little while, but all the efforts are worth when you see good results
≫ Keep stirring all the time , although you are using a heavy bottom vessel you still need to give your 100% attention, Keep stirring all the time whilst roasting the mawa .
≫ If by chance, you see any dark spot whilst roasting mawa, which means your mawa has starts sticking to the pan. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly, remove the burnt mawa then keep stirring until it cools down. Then return it to the heat and roast on the lowest heat.
≫ Once mawa has roasted properly and starts leaving the sides of the pan , remove the pan and transfer the mixture into another plate.
≫ Let the mixture cool slightly , but not fully as you will not be able to handle the peda dough. The dough will begin to harden and crumble and won’t form into pedas. Whilst the mixture is warm , knead the peda dough and then shape it into your desired finish.
EQUIPMENT/TOOLS
Heavy based pan or Kadai
Spatula
Plate
HOW TO MAKE SLOW-ROASTED MAWA PEDA
Get the exact measurements and complete ingredients list in metric and imperial from the recipe card below.
Let’s gather all the peda ingredients and I’ll show you…
Take mawa/khoya/khoa in a pan and slow roast on the lowest heat.
Slow roast until becomes loose, a little darker in colour and shiny. You’ll be able to see khoya releasing fat.
Add stevia and mix well.
Let the stevia melt in the mawa, keep cooking and stirring until the peda mixtures leave the sides of the pan.
Turn off the heat, and transfer the mixture to a plate.
Let it cool slightly and knead the dough to remove any lumps if there are.
Divide the mixture into equal portions, and shape the peda. This time we have used churma ladoo mould to shape the peda.
IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE
Rajwadi Peda
Kesar Mawa Peda
Kesar Malai Peda
Mathura Peda
Mango Peda
Tri colour Pead
Ricotta Cheese Peda
NO ADDED SUGAR SLOW ROASTED MAWA PEDA
Ingredients
- 2 cup mawa crumbled or grated
- ¾ cup stevia
- ½ tsp. nutmeg powder
- ½ tsp. cardamom powder
Instructions
- In a thick bottomed Kadai, mix the Mawa and sugar.
- Place the Kadai on a slow flame and cook the mixture until it reaches the colour you see in the Penda picture here.
- If you want them to be a little darker continue to cook till you achieve your desired colour.
- Do not forget to stir the mixture even while it is off the gas but in the same hot pan.
- The Penda mixture will continue to cook even while it is cooling and the hot pan might scorch it. So keep stirring
- Once the mixture has cool enough to handle, roll them into small Penda and if you have Penda mould shape them in the mould.
- Dot each Penda with couple of charoli.
- Store in an air tight container.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
NO ADDED SUGAR SLOW ROASTED MAWA PEDA
Ingredients
- 2 cup mawa crumbled or grated
- ¾ cup stevia
- ½ tsp. nutmeg powder
- ½ tsp. cardamom powder
Instructions
- In a thick bottomed Kadai, mix the Mawa and sugar.
- Place the Kadai on a slow flame and cook the mixture until it reaches the colour you see in the Penda picture here.
- If you want them to be a little darker continue to cook till you achieve your desired colour.
- Do not forget to stir the mixture even while it is off the gas but in the same hot pan.
- The Penda mixture will continue to cook even while it is cooling and the hot pan might scorch it. So keep stirring
- Once the mixture has cool enough to handle, roll them into small Penda and if you have Penda mould shape them in the mould.
- Dot each Penda with couple of charoli.
- Store in an air tight container.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Achieve premium quality soft Ras Malai at home. Soft and spongy paneer patties are immersed in delicately flavoured milk cream. Ras Malai is the flagship Indian mithai that is loved and savoured all around the world during special occasions and festivals.
Use homemade rasmalai to make Mango Rasmalai .
Ras Malai is an Indian sweet or mithai that originates from Bengal. In Bengali, it is known as rossomalai. It has a close resemblance to rasgulla which are also a Bengali sweet made from homemade paneer.
Ras Malai’s unique selling point is the super soft and spongy paneer patties or balls that are also known as chhena. Homemade paneer is kneaded and shaped into thick disks, then cooked in a light sugar syrup. As they cook, they magically expand in size and become spongy.
The ideal texture of these balls should be super soft but also hold their shape without crumbling as they are dunked and left to infuse the aromatic milk cream.
The milk cream is made by gently heating and reducing full cream milk, sweetening and adding aromatic Indian spices. We like to add a special ingredient to our milk cream, like many of our other Indian sweets, for extra creaminess.
Ras Malai can either be white or creamy/yellow. White ras malai does not have saffron or kesar whereas the yellow version does.
We prefer to prepare our Ras Malai without saffron. This way, the milk cream and the balls stay white and the flavour of the other spices comes through rather than the saffron. We add white sugar, nuts and cardamom powder to our Ras Malai only.
We love Milk-Based Indian Desserts and often make Lachha Rabdi , Dudhi Basundi , Seviyan Kheer , Shrikhand with Cream
You can take inspiration from the authentic ras malai to make this Eggless Ras Malai Cake
Ingredients
For the chhena:
● Full fat milk – in the UK, we get 3.7% cow’s milk which is sufficient to get perfect moist chhena.
● Distilled vinegar – the vinegar is required to split the milk. You can use either lemon juice or vinegar here, they both have the same desired effect
● Cornflour – cornflour or cornstarch is required when preparing the dough to help keep the shape of the balls.
● White sugar – required to make the sugar syrup that the paneer balls will be cooked in. White refined sugar ensures that the balls stay white and do not loose their colour.
● Whole green cardamom pods – you will need only a few whole cardamoms to flavour the sugar syrup
Do not use a shop-bought paneer for this recipe. The chhena must be made fresh at home.
For the milk cream:
Essentially, what we are making here is a Basundi which is what the balls are placed in. We want a smooth milk that has not formed any malai (or milk skin) on the surface.
● Full fat milk – we have used full fat 3.7% cows milk
● White sugar – use refined white sugar as the sweetener for the cream
● Slivered nuts – we have used chopped pistachios (we buy ready chopped pistachios that are extra green for colour) and chopped almonds
● Ground green cardamom – we use shop-bought fine cardamom powder
● Double or Heavy cream – this is the secret ingredient! Double cream adds an extra layer of creaminess which is so delicious. Adding double cream means that you do not have to boil the milk for a long time to achieve the same thickness when reducing the milk.
Equipment
Heavy bottomed pan – you need a heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan to heat the milk without it sticking
Muslin cloth – a muslin cloth is needed to separate the solids from the whey when making our homemade paneer.
Colander – to strain the paneer from the whey
A large flat pan – the pan where we cook the chhena in sugar syrup needs to be flat so that the balls are not crowding on top of each other. A wider base means that the chhena have plenty of room to expand sideways
Measuring cups, jugs and spoons
Method
There are a few steps required to make the balls.
- Firstly, we have to make a homemade paneer
- This paneer is then kneaded to form a smooth dough and shaped into balls
- These balls are then cooked in a thin sugar syrup until they double in size and become spongy
Ensure your heavy bottomed pan is perfectly clean and free from other smells. Rinse the inside in cold water before adding the milk. I have found that this step prevents milk from sticking to the pan and burning.
Continuously stir the milk as it comes to a boil.
Once it reaches a rolling boil, add a few drops of either lemon juice or distilled vinegar. Wait to see if the milk has split. If not, add more drops.
Switch off the heat immediately after the milk has split
Place a muslin cloth over a colander that is sitting in a large bowl.
Pour the solids and whey into the colander. The muslin cloth will catch the solids and the whey will be collected in the bowl below.
Wash the solids or chhena well under cold water to remove the smell and taste of the vinegar/lemon juice
Squeeze as much liquid from the muslin cloth as possible before tying the cloth tightly over the chhena. Use a heavy weight to push out more liquid.
Do this for around 20-30 minutes. We do not want to completely dry out the mixture but retain a little of the moisture. If the mixture is too dry then the chhena will end up chewy and will not come together as a mass.
(during this step, begin preparing the sugar syrup)
The next step is to knead the paneer. Add a spoon of cornflour to the paneer before kneading.
Use the heel of your palm and knead for approximately 10 minutes to make the dough smooth and grain-free.
Use a spoon or mould to accurately measure out the same amount of paneer to form equal balls.
Shape the balls into thick disks.
Prepare thin sugar syrup in a large flat bottomed pan.
Place the balls into the boiling sugar syrup and cover the pan. This is an important step as we want the balls to steam in the sugar syrup. Keep the heat/flame on high.
If you feel that the syrup is becoming thick, add more water to the syrup. Thick sugar syrup will make the balls hard.
The balls will swell and increase in size.
Do this step for approximately 10-12 minutes once you’ve covered the pan. Once the balls have cooked, keep them in the syrup for a further 15 – 20 minutes.
Do not overhandle the balls because they will break.
The balls are now ready to be placed in the milk cream once gentle pressure has been applied to squeeze out some of the sugar syrup.
You have now basically made Rasgullas!
How to know if you have kneaded the paneer enough
We’ve mentioned that over kneading the dough will cause the chhena to become hard and chewy – so how do we know when to stop kneading?
You will notice that the dough starts to become shiny and if you feel it between your fingers, it will not be grainy but smooth. One way to test is to take a lump of dough and form a round ball. If the ball has many cracks and does not smooth evenly then it still needs some kneading.
Why your ras malai balls are hard
There are many different reasons why the balls may be hard or chewy. There are different points during the cooking process that can cause this to happen.
Firstly, do not completely dry out the chhena when removing the moisture. Retain a little so that the dough can easily be rolled into balls without many cracks.
Do not store chenna in the refrigerator, make balls from the fresh chenna.
Ensure you knead the paneer thoroughly so that it is grain-free however do not over-knead (see tip below). Over kneading can also cause the balls to become hard.
Make sure you add balls in hot and boiling sugar syrup. Do not let go temperature of the sugar syrup low at any point.
Add one ball at a time to maintain the temperature of the syrup.
The sugar syrup should have a thin consistency – a ratio of 1:4 sugar to water. During cooking, if the sugar syrup thickens, add more water to keep it thin
Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking the balls in the sugar syrup
Why do your ras malai break
The chhena balls can break due to a few reasons. If the chhena mixture was too dry, it will be crumbly and not form perfect balls. These balls can disintegrate when cooked in sugar syrup.
However, if the mixture is too soft, it will again not form balls that can disintegrate in the sugar syrup.
What to do if your ras malai is too hard or chewy
If you do find yourself which Ras Malai that has become too hard, there are a few things you can do.
Take a thin toothpick and piece small holes into the balls. This will allow the milk to soak through more effectively and can soften the balls after a few hours.
Making the milk cream:
Making perfect chhena seems to be everyone’s focus with ras malai but making sure that the milk cream is perfect too is just as important.
We want a generous amount of milk cream for Ras Malai as the balls will continue to soak up the milk. A common mistake is making the milk cream too thick. The balls will not absorb the milk over time and this will make them become hard.
No malai should form over the milk. We are not trying to make a thick laccha rabri here. Essentially, what we are making is a plain smooth basundi.
Firstly, rinse a heavy-bottomed pan with water and then pour in the milk.
Heat the milk gently over a medium flame whilst continuously stirring. When stirring, ensure you keep stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
The milk will eventually begin to reduce and thicken
At this point, add your slivered nuts and ground cardamom.
Add your sugar and continue cooking. The sugar will release moisture and temporarily thin out the milk but it will thicken.
Add cream and cook a little further.
Once you have achieved the correct consistency (see below), keep stirring the milk every so often as it cools.
You can add the balls, or Rasgullas once the milk has reached room temperature.
Correct Consistency of milk cream
For Ras Malai, we do not want a thick milk cream. This is because we want the chhena balls to soak and sponge up the lovely milky goodness and flavours.
The consistency of the Basundi should reflect that of half and half milk or it should be thinner than English single cream.
Serving Suggestion
Ras Malai is often served during special occasions and festivals.
Due to its demanding method of cooking and its show-stopper finish, Ras Malai isn’t one of those sweets that is made “just because”. It is mostly always for a celebration of some sort.
Once the Ras Malai is prepared, it is placed in the fridge for a few hours ideally to help all of the flavours infuse and settle. The chhena will further swell as they soak up the milk.
Ras Malai is best eaten chilled as it is.
Storage
Ras Malai can easily and safely be stored in the fridge. Make sure the Ras Malai is stored flat without any of the balls piled on top of each other. Use clingfilm liberally to keep any odours of the fridge out!
Ras Malai is not suitable for freezing.
Ras Malai should be eaten in the first 3-4 days.
IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE
No added sugar badam katli
Mohanthal Kandoi style
Best coconut ladoo
Pistachio chocolate barfi
Makhandi halwa
Sugar free mawa peda
HOMEMADE SOFT RAS MALAI
Ingredients
- 12 cup - whole milk 3 litre
- 3 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornflour/starch
- 1 ½ cup sugar 300g
- 6 cup tap water 1.5 litre
- 12 cup whole milk 3 litre
- 500 ml double/heavy cream 2cup
- 1 ¼ cup sugar 250g
- ½ tsp. cardamom powder
- 3-4 tbsp. almond and pistachio slivers
- 1 paper Silver varq
- 1 Slivered nuts almonds and pistachios
- 1 Dried flower petals
Instructions
- Firstly, rinse a heavy-bottomed pan with tap water and then pour in the 12 cup of milk.
- Heat the milk gently over a medium flame whilst continuously stirring. When stirring, ensure you keep stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
- The milk will eventually begin to reduce and thicken.
- At this point, add your slivered nuts and ground cardamom.
- Add your sugar and continue cooking. The sugar will release moisture and temporarily thin out the milk but it will thicken.
- Add double/heavy cream and cook further 2-3 minutes.
- Once you have achieved the correct consistency, keep stirring the milk every so often as it cools.
- Cover the pan and leave it aside.
- Heat milk in a pan.
- Continuously stir the milk as it comes to a boil.
- Once it reaches a rolling boil, add a few drops of either lemon juice or distilled vinegar. Wait to see if the milk has split. If not, add more drops.
- Switch off the heat immediately after the milk has split
- Place a muslin cloth over a colander that is sitting in a large bowl.
- Pour the solids and whey into the colander. The muslin cloth will catch the solids and the whey will be collected in the bowl below.
- Wash the solids or chhena well under cold water to remove the smell and taste of the vinegar/lemon juice
- Squeeze as much liquid from the muslin cloth as possible before tying the cloth tightly over the chhena. Use a heavyweight to push out more liquid.
- Do this for around 20-30 minutes. We do not want to completely dry out the mixture but retain a little of the moisture. If the mixture is too dry then the chhena will end up chewy and will not come together as a mass.
- The next step is to knead the paneer. Add a spoon of cornflour to the paneer before kneading.
- Use the heel of your palm and knead for approximately 10 minutes to make the dough smooth and grain-free.
- Use a spoon or mould to accurately measure out the same amount of paneer to form equal balls.
- Shape the balls into thick disks.
- Mix water and sugar in a wide and flat bottom pan.
- Bring it to a boil, add one by one paneer tikkis into the sugar syrup.
- Cover it with the lid and cook tikkis 10-12 minutes.
- Once the balls have cooked, keep them in the syrup for a further 15 - 20 minutes.
- Pour milk cream into a flat tray with little height, such as a roasting tray.
- Gently squeeze out extra sugar syrup from the paneer tikkas using a perforated spoon and spatula.
- Place them in the milk cream, make sure they are submerged in milk.
- Sprinkle slivered nuts.
- Cover the tray with the cling film and keep it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2-3 hours to develop flavours and chill.
- When serving apply silver varq, extra slivered nuts and dried rose petals.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Note – This Ras Malai post has been updated from the recipe archives with new images and content, first published on 26th January 2011.
