Sweet Making In India - Indian dessert

Sandesh, also known as Sondesh, is a delicious Bengali sweet that is popular not only in India but also abroad. It is often prepared for festive occasions, particularly during Durga Puja in Navratri. For the best results to make Sandesh, it is ideal to use fresh chena or paneer that retains some moisture. Instead of sugar, palm jaggery or a combination of sugar and palm jaggery can be used. Traditionally, Sandesh is made by curdling milk and draining the whey to collect the chena or paneer. This chena is then kneaded until it reaches a smooth texture and is cooked over low heat with powdered sugar. After cooking, it is cooled, rolled into small balls, and then flattened. Indian sweet shops typically offer sandesh in various flavors. Here, Sandesh is made from chena in a large cauldron over the heat of a wood-fired oven in a sweet shop at Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on December 29, 2024.