I made Caramelized White Chocolate and Peda Bark originally by Milk and Cardamom this weekend and it was delicious!
A dear friend invited me to join in her Diwali celebrations. Once I decided my outfit, I needed to choose the hostess gift – in true Zaynah R form, I wanted to make something sweet. My hesitation with traditional South Asian desserts is the milk/syrup making for difficult transport and saffron because its such a strong flavor not everyone enjoys. When I came across Desi bark, I was in! (I am a sucker for peppermint bark every Christmas holiday season)
My adventure started with the Parle G biscuit base. Being from a Pakistani household with parents raised in England, this biscuit has never come across my kitchen table. They’re great and I have been missing out.
With a cooled crust, I move on to the peda layer. The recipe included the ideal cooking time, which was spot on, and this step wasn’t intimidating at all. Do remember, the goal is thin layers. Do not worry if the amount of peda seems short, you’ll have enough.
The caramelized white chocolate was tricky. Admittedly, I over-warmed the first batch. The chocolate separated and it was an obvious mess. Round two was better, but I probably didn’t caramelize the chocolate to the full extent.
The Milk and Cardamom recipe utilized fresh, edible flowers. I have dried rose petals on hand for moments like this – and Kashmiri chai. I toasted up some almonds for added flavor and the bar set-up in the fridge within 30 minutes.
The dessert was a hit at the party, everyone wanted the recipe. I highly recommend trying the recipe for yourself and you’ll definitely want to follow Milk and Cardamom. I have a copy of her cookbook and cannot wait to dive into the recipes.
