Coconut Laddu

Welcome to post #60! I do apologize for being away for so long - I had a travel opportunity I couldn't pass up, and spent six weeks in England and Scotland, doing nothing harder cooking-wise than putting a curry in the microwave and ordering fish and chips at various pubs. As you can probably guess, I was excited to get back to my fully-stocked kitchen! To get started, an attempt at an Indian dessert! I bought that rose water ages ago... of course being a middle-class white girl I got this Coconut Laddu recipe from Canadian Living magazine. Guess I should expand my horizons! But this was the easiest recipe, with so few ingredients, and it turned out great - if you like coconut.

Pour one can of sweetened condensed milk (sugary goodness) into a pan and heat to thicken for about 10 minutes. Couldn't tell you if it actually thickened, but the heat does make it easier to stir into the other ingredients, so it's an important step. Just keep it on low, it does burn quickly. Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix 2 cups unsweetened coconut, 1/3 c chopped dried apricots, 1 Tbsp rose water (I bought this kind at a nearby Indian grocery store, the perks of living in Toronto - I paid less than $2 and they are selling it on amazon for $8.95... silly) and 1/2 tsp ground cardamom.

Pour in heated milk and stir, then let it sit for a few minutes so it can cool down. Next, you get to play with your food - using your hands, form 1 Tbsp-sized balls, then roll them in more coconut and place each one in a candy paper cup. I did buy these at Bulk Barn, and they weren't cheap, but oh well, worth it for this recipe. Then you can eat them, or keep them in the fridge for up to a day.

These were a big hit! I made them for a beach picnic and while they did get a bit sandy, they were delicious - sticky and sweet. I loved the apricot so don't leave it out. No idea how authentic they are but I'll definitely make them again. Maybe throw in some pistachios next time...