Custard Powder Halwa

An easy, quick and light jelly-like sweet prepared from Custard Powder, one of the most versatile products used in most of our kitchens. This sweet requires very few ingredients that are usually stocked in our kitchen pantries and takes just a few minutes to prepare.

Yields: 25 – 30 pieces (approx)

Ingredients:

Custard Powder – 1 cup (any flavor, the pictures are of Vanilla flavor)
White Sugar Granules – 2 cups (you can add 1/2 to 1 cup more if you prefer it sweeter)
Water – 4 cups
Clarified Butter/Ghee – 3 tablespoons + greasing
Cardamom/Vanilla Essence – 1/4 teaspoon
Watermelon Seeds – 1/8 cup (optional)
Cashew nuts, broken – 1/8 cup

For Aid:

A square or rectangle tray (I used one 8×8″tray)

Method:

1. Grease a tray with some ghee/clarified butter. Keep it aside.
2. Take all the ingredients in a thick bottomed pan. Mix thoroughly until there is no lump of custard powder.
   
3. Place the pan on high flame and cook the mixture by stirring continuously to avoid the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan or forming any lumps.
4. Keep stirring until the mixture turns glassy or semi transparent. Now set the flame to low.
   
5. Continue stirring until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Immediately, transfer the mixture into a greased tray. Gently shake the pan for the mixture to settle down; do not try to level it with a spatula. Do not scrape the left-over mixture from the pan as it sets very quickly and the scraped mixture will not set in well. Allow it to cool down completely to room temperature.
6. Cut into squares and serve. The left-over halwa can be stored at room temperature for a day. If refrigerated in an air tight container they stay fresh for 2 days.