This fun dessert adds a fruity twist to the classic Indian Kaju Kati. Crisp shortbread, paired with chewy Kaju Katli and topped with strawberries flavored with rose, cardamom, and lemon, this tart is the perfect fusion of classic and modern.
If there’s one dessert every Indian knows about, it’s probably Kaju Katli. One of the most famous and classic Indian sweets, Kaju Katli is almost like a thick, chewy cashew fudge flavored with cardamom and ghee. It’s something you will find at every Indian dessert store.
During my recent visit to India, I noticed that one of the stores had a Strawberry flavored Kaju Katli, and I have not stopped thinking about it ever since. I wish I had tasted some cause I knew it would be delicious, but as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make a Kaju Katli and strawberry dessert.
Honestly, the flavor combination makes so much sense because Kaju Katli is pretty sweet and one-dimensional on its own, so pairing it with something fruity would make it even better.
This tart hits all the right notes – the crispy shortbread adds a nice texture contrast to the chewy cashew fudge, and the macerated strawberries flavored with rose, lemon, and cardamom pair perfectly with the sweet cashew flavor.
I know you’re intrigued, so let’s get into the recipe.
PS: If you like Indian fusion desserts, try these recipes!
Kaju Katli
So first things first, what is Kaju Katli? If you’re not Indian, you’re probably wondering about that. Think of it like a very rich, hearty fudge made with cashews. It’s crumbly but also chewy, and it tastes absolutely delicious.
Now I’ll be honest, I had absolutely no idea how Kaju Katli is made, so I got the recipe from one of my favorite Indian food creators, Swasthi’s Recipes. I have tried many of her recipes and they always turn out amazing, so I knew for sure that her recipe would not fail me.
So if you’re making this recipe, don’t forget to check out her website and give her a shout out.
If you’ve never made Kaju Katli or a similar halwa or fudge before, the process can seem intimidating. But honestly, it’s quite simple to make.
- First, make a sugar syrup. Add the water and sugar in a saucepan and cook it on medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Keep swirling the pan every few minutes, but do not mix with a spoon to avoid crystallization.
- Once the sugar had completely resolved, add grounded cashews into the mixture and continue cooking on low heat until the mixture thickens a little, about 3-4 minutes. Make sure to keep mixing throughout the process so that the mixture does not form any lumps.
- Once the mixture has thickened slightly, add the cardamom powder, rose water, and ghee, and continue mixing on low heat for another 5-10 minutes until the mixture thickens significantly and forms almost a sludge-like texture. It should still be a little runny but quite thick. Keep mixing throughout the process or the fudge will stick to the bottom and burn.
- Pour the ready mixture a baking paper, let it cool for just 2 minutes, then cover with another sheet of baking paper and knead the mixture as best as you can but be careful as it will still be very hot. Do this as quickly as possible as the fudge will start to set very quickly.
- Knead the dough for 2-4 minutes until it’s smooth and soft, then place it in between two sheets of baking paper and roll it out to 1/2 inch thickness and let it cool until completely set.
- Once the fudge is set, cut it into a circle slightly smaller than your tart shell and place the cooled Kaju Katli layered in the tart shell.
Here are a few tips to make the Kaju Katli.
- When grinding the donuts, try to get them as fine as possible but do not grind them for too long as they will start releasing oil and become clumpy. The final powder can be slightly coarse but make sure it’s not too coarse.
- Do not mix the water and sugar mixture with a spoon until the sugar has dissolved or the mixture may crystalize.
- After adding the cashew powder, do not leave the pan unattended at any time and keep mixing continuously or the mixture will start to burn from the bottom.
- Do not cook the mixture for too long or the fudge will become very hard and you will not be able to knead it properly.
- If your mixture is not runny at all, add more ghee into it.
- When kneading the fudge, wear plastic gloves and do not touch it directly as it will be very hot.
- Do not wait to knead the fudge for more than 2 minutes after taking it out of the pan as it will set very quickly.
- Do not roll out the dough too thick as we want to keep a good balance of flavors in the tart.
Shortcrust Pastry
For the tart, I use my go-to shortcrust pastry. It’s easy to make and uses only four ingredients – butter, caster sugar, eggs, and flour. This dough result in an easy to use and crisp tart base that pairs perfectly with the Kaju Katli.
Here are the steps for making the shortcrust pastry.
- In a bowl, whisk softened butter and caster sugar on medium speed for 5-6 minutes until they are creamed together.
- Add the eggs and mix again for 2-3 minutes on high speed until well combined.
- Finally, add the flour and mix on low speed until JUST combined. Don’t over-mix at this step. The dough will be quite soft.
- Place the dough on a piece of baking paper, and place another baking paper on top. Roll the dough out to 1/3rd inch thickness, and let it chill in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
- Once the dough is a little hard (but still pliable), shape the tart. If you’re using a regular tart pan, roll the dough larger than the size of the tart pan, place the rolled dough on top of the pan and shape it over the pan. If the dough becomes too soft, place it in the fridge for a bit and continue.
- If using a tart ring, Cut the bottom using the tart ring then cut strips and place them around the tart ring on the inner side and press it down to join the edges with the bottom.
- Place the shaped tart in the fridge for 15 more minutes, then poke holes in the bottom and blind bake the tart.
- To blind bake, pre-heat the oven to 165 degrees Celsius. Place baking paper in the tart pan and top it with raw rice or beans (for weight) and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
You can also store this dough in the freezer for up to three months and defrost it before using it.
Macerated Strawberries
Macerated strawberries are one of the easiest things you can make. All you have to do is mix the strawberries with sugar, lemon zest, rose water, and cardamom, let it sit for 30 minutes to one hour, and you will have a flavorful strawberry topping.
I highly recommend adding all the flavors, you really need them to balance out the sweetness!
Here are the steps for making the macerated strawberries.
- In a bowl, add the strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, rose water, cardamom powder, and sea salt and mix until just combined.
- Let the strawberries rest in the fridge for 30-60 minutes until they release the liquids.
- Once ready, place them on top of the kaju katli layer in the tart along with fresh strawberries. Make sure to add a few spoons of the macerated strawberry juice on top and serve cold.
This dessert is perfect to make for a party because everything can be prepped a day before. But make sure to add the strawberry topping just before serving.
This is one of those desserts that you have to taste to know how amazing it is. The combination of flavors and textures is absolutely delicious.
Ready to get started? Let’s go.
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Strawberry Kaju Katli Tart
Equipment
- 7" perforated or regular tart ring
- Rolling Pin
- Saucepan
- Silicone spatula
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry
- 130 grams unsalted butter softened
- 100 grams caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
Kaju Katli (Recipe from Swasthi's Recipes)
- 200 grams unsalted cashews
- 90 ml water
- 150 grams white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp rose water
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 2 tsp ghee
Macerated Strawberries
- 200 grams frozen or fresh strawberries
- 30 grams granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp rose water
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Topping
- 100 grams fresh strawberries
- Gold or silver foil
Instructions
Shortcrust Pastry
- In a bowl, add the butter and sugar and whip it on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until they are properly creamed together.130 grams unsalted butter, 100 grams caster sugar
- Add the eggs and whip on medium-high speed until there are no liquid streaks left in the batter and the eggs are properly incorporated.1 egg
- Turn the mixer down to a slow speed and gradually start adding the flour. Mix until the flour is just incorporated into the dough. Make sure not to over-mix. The final dough should just hold its shape together.250 grams all-purpose flour
- Transfer the dough to baking paper, then place another sheet of baking paper on top. Roll the dough to 2mm thickness evenly, then let it chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Chilling the dough allows it to hold its shape when you shape it around your tart ring or pan.
- After chilling, cut and shape the dough as per your tart ring, then chill it for another 15 minutes. Poke small holes on the base of the pastry with a fork to allow even baking, then place a sheet of baking paper on top and weigh it down using uncooked rice or baking beans.
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius, then bake the tart for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Kaju Katli (Recipe by Swasthi's Recipes)
- Grind the cashews until they form a powder but do not over blend or they will start releasing oil and become lumpy. The final powder will be a little grainy.200 grams unsalted cashews
- Make a sugar syrup: Add the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Do not stir the sugar or it may crystalize. Once the sugar is dissolved, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cashew powder.90 ml water, 150 grams white granulated sugar
- Keep mixing so the cashew powder does not form any lumps and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens a little.
- Add the rose water, cardamom powder, and ghee to the mixture and continue cooking on low heat until the mixture thickens and releases from the sides of the pan, about 5-6 minutes. Make sure not to overcook the mixture or the fudge will become too hard. The mixture should still be a little runny. If it's not, add a little more ghee. Do not leave the mixture unattended during this step, keep mixing to make sure it does not burn from the bottom.1 tsp rose water, 1/2 tsp cardamom powder, 2 tsp ghee
- Pour the prepared fudge onto a sheet of baking paper, top it with another layer of baking paper, and let it cool down for 2 minutes, then knead the mixture using your hands until it becomes smooth and like a dough. The mixture will be very hot so be careful and use gloves if you can.
- Quickly roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper before it sets, then let it chill at room temperature until it’s completely set.
- Cut a circle out of the fudge that’s slightly smaller than your tart, then place it inside the prepared tart.
Macerated Strawberries
- In a bowl, add the frozen (or fresh) strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, rose water, and cardamom powder and mix until combined, then let it chill for at least 30 minutes until the strawberries release their juices.200 grams frozen or fresh strawberries, 30 grams granulated white sugar, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp rose water, 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- Top the Kaju Katli layer in the tart with the macerated strawberries and add some fresh strawberries and gold foil to finish. serve cold.100 grams fresh strawberries, Gold or silver foil
Notes
- The shortcrust pastry dough can be prepared and stored in the freezer pre-baking for up to three months.
- The tart and Kaju Katli layer can be made a day ahead.
- This tart can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.
- Refer to the tips for making Kaju Katli here.
- Avoid overmixing the tart dough when incorporating the flour. It should just come together and hold its shape without becoming sticky.
- Top the tart with macerated and fresh strawberries only a few hours before serving to make sure that the tart shell does not become soggy.
If you like Kaju Katli, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try, it will change your life!
If you give it a try, let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram.
Until next time!
