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4 Mins delivery
Coconut Ladoo
Serves 4
30 mins
120 KcalCoconut Ladoo is one of the most popular Indian sweets. These sweet ladoos are soft, round, and aromatic, mainly made from grated coconut, condensed milk, and cardamom. It denotes the richness and creaminess flowing into your mouth with this sweet and cosy delight. Coconut ladoos are mainly prepared for festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, and other special occasions in Indian culture that fill people with sweetness and celebration. Fresh or dried coconut is the most elementary ingredient and, thus, infuses this lad with a fresh texture. It gives it moistness at the same time yet chewy. The sweet lusciousness of the condensed milk binds all the coconut together; it comes packaged with cardamom powder that infuses a subtle, pungent fragrance. Ghee, in some variations of the coconut ladoo recipe, adds richness and deepness to the flavour. For contrast and some crunchy bits against the softness of ladoos, a handful of dry fruits may be chopped into small pieces like almonds, cashews, or raisins. Coconut ladoos are not a time-consuming and laborious preparation, as they would require only a bare minimum amount of cooking. Coconut has been lightly roasted and adds a natural flavour to the mixture. Some amount of condensed milk or sugar is added to the mixture and after liquid, it cooks until it becomes thick enough to hold itself together. As the mixture cools down a little, then the masses take the shape of small balls. These ladoos can be garnished with more grated coconut, strands of saffron, and nuts for extra visual appeal. Coconut ladoos are a delight for the young and the old alike not only because of their luscious taste but also because of the ease with which they are prepared. They can be kept for many days and can be an instant sweet to satisfy the sweet tooth or share on the occasion of festivals.
Ingredients required for Coconut Ladoo
- 200 gms coconut
- 1 cup sugar
- Cardamom powder
- Ghee
- Cashews
- Almonds
Cooking steps for Coconut Ladoo
- 1Start the recipe of coconut ladoo with 200 gms of grated coconut. You can use fresh or desiccated coconut. You can keep a small portion as garnishing if you need extra texture. Fresh coconut has a wet feel, whereas desiccated coconut is somewhat dry, but both versions work well in this recipe.
- 2Take a non-stick pan and add milk to it (250 ml). Now heat it over a medium flame. The milk will be the base for making the ladoo mixture.
- 3You will get the required moisture and richness from it. Now add sugar (200 grams) to it. Now allow the mixture to boil over a medium flame with continuous stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Milk and sugar are combined to add sweetness and creaminess to the coconut and, thus, create richness in the ladoos. Make sure to fully dissolve the sugar, so as not to get grainy in the final product.
- 4Add the grated coconut to the milk-sugar mixture once the sugar has dissolved. Mix everything so that the coconut is fully coated by the liquid. Pour it into a pan and reduce the flame to low. Slow-cook on the lowest for 10-12 minutes, stirring at intervals so that the mixture doesn't get stuck at the bottom of the pan. Coconut takes in milk, and over time, it begins to thicken.
- 5Now you will see that the mixture is leaving the pan. This means coconut has absorbed all moisture and thickness to shape up into ladoos. Once you have reached this stage, you can take out heat, let it cool down for a minute, and then shape it into ladoos. Do not overcook; otherwise, it will go hard and crumby ladoos.
- 6Add a little ghee or oil to the palms. This will help maintain the mixture while it cools down. So, at this stage, when you shape the ladoo, it will not stick on your hands. Take a small amount of the coconut mixture and give it a rounded ball shape. Repeat this until all ladoos are shaped.
- 7For that additional crunch of flavour, roll each ladoo in the remaining grated coconut. This will coat the ladoos evenly and give them a appetizing finish.
- 8Allow the coconut ladoos to cool completely before serving-this will help them set in shape.
- 9Garnished coconut adds that ornamental element besides enhancing the overall flavour with the subtle crunch.
FAQs
Can one substitute desiccated coconut for fresh coconut?
If fresh coconut is not available, you can use desiccated coconut. The texture will be a bit different, but it tastes great to consume. With desiccated coconut, maybe a little more moisture- condensed milk quantity may need adjustment, or a splash of milk has to be added to bind the ladoos properly.
How long can coconut ladoos be stored?
Coconut ladoos can be stored for approximately 4 to 5 days in an air-tight container at room temperature. Refrigeration will have them good for about a week. However, keep refrigerated ladoos at room temperature for a few hours before they get served so that they are soft and creamy.
Can I make coconut ladoos without condensed milk?
Believe it or not, you can even make coconut ladoos without condensed milk using sugar and milk or khoya (milk solids) instead. Just cook the grated coconut with sugar and milk till it thickens and becomes a mass. You can also control the sugar levels as per your taste. So when you try the traditional method, you will see that the texture is a little different compared to the ones you have been making all this while, but still wholly delicious.
