Pumpkin kalakand (cottage cheese pumpkin fudge)

Ingredients

• 1 litre full cream milk (I used 6%)
• 1 litre full cream milk (for making cottage cheese)
• ½ cup (scant) sugar
• A pinch of saffron
• ¾ – 1 tsp cardamom powder (adjust the amount to suit your taste)
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree (I used sugar pumpkin)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachio
• For the pumpkin puree, I used the sugar pumpkins.

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Preparation

• Cut them in half (I cut them into wedges as it reduces the roasting time) and arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or regular foil. Roast them at 180°C until the flesh is slightly browned and tender. Remove from oven and when the wedges/ halves are cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh and purée in the food processor or liquidiser.
• Make cottage cheese from one litre of milk. Drain the whey and crumble the cottage cheese.
  Boil the other one litre and reduce it to half the quantity.
• Add cottage cheese into the milk and cook further till the consistency is reduced to further half.
  Now, add the pumpkin puree, sugar, saffron and cardamom powder.
  Cook till the consistency resembles one thick mass. {However, you need to ensure that the mixture has some moisture left coz we want a moist fudge and not a dry one. Also, the fudge will thicken further on refrigeration}
• {The whole process took me nearly three and a half hour as I reduced the milk on a low flame while I was finishing rest of my household chores}
  Line a square tin with parchment or butter paper and transfer the contents in it. Level the top and sprinkle over the finely chopped pistachio. Cover the fudge with cling wrap (with the cling wrap touching the complete top surface of fudge mixture. This will prevent the surface from drying and forming a crust)
  Cool and refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours, preferably overnight. Next day, cut into square and serve.

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