Indian Milk Fudge (Peda)
Peda is a traditional Indian milk-based fudge that melts on your tongue—made by slowly reducing sweetened condensed milk with ghee until it reaches a soft, creamy texture. Perfect for gifting or enjoying as a sweet treat with tea.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 98
- Protein
- 2g
Ingredients
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tablespoons ghee (or unsalted butter)
- ½ cup whole milk powder
- 4 whole cardamom pods
- 2 tablespoons unsalted pistachios, shelled
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch rose petals or saffron strands (optional garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Crack open each cardamom pod by pressing it with the flat side of a knife until it splits, then remove the small black seeds inside and discard the papery green shell.
- 2
Chop the pistachios into small pieces about the size of rice grains—aim for roughly uniform crumbles, not a fine powder.
- 3
Pour the sweetened condensed milk and ghee into a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat, stirring occasionally to combine them.
- 4
Add the milk powder and cardamom seeds to the saucepan, then stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes until the mixture looks slightly lighter and the spoon leaves a faint trail that fills in slowly.
- 5
Continue stirring over medium heat for 12–15 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan each time, until the mixture pulls away from the sides and a small amount dropped on a cool plate hardens into a soft ball after 30 seconds.
- 6
Remove the saucepan from heat and fold in the chopped pistachios and salt using the wooden spoon until evenly mixed.
- 7
Pour the warm mixture onto a parchment-lined 8-inch square baking pan, then press it flat using the back of an oiled spoon or an offset spatula.
- 8
Let the peda cool at room temperature for 20–30 minutes until it is completely firm, then cut into 1-inch squares using an oiled knife, wiping the blade between each cut.
- 9
Garnish each peda with a tiny pinch of rose petals or a single saffron strand if desired, or serve plain—they keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Tools you’ll need
- medium saucepan
- wooden spoon
- knife
- 8-inch square baking pan
- parchment paper
- offset spatula or spoon back
- small plate (for testing doneness)
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