West Bengal is one of the most ethnic and culturally enigmatic states of India. This state is widely popular for three things- Durga Pooja, Fish, and Sweets. India is a country that has an uncountable number of dishes, and sweets form a prominent part, and Bengal is undoubtedly the land of sweets. This is a list of the most delectable and scrumptious sweets from the land of West Bengal.
Top 15 Bengali Sweets to Try When in Bengal
1. Mishti Doi
Mishti Doi is the most famous Bengali sweet. It is the quintessential Bengali dessert. Mishti doi is nothing but sweetened thick curd. It is authentically made with cardamom and saffron, however, now there are various flavors available. It is served in a small clay pot, as the clay pot amplifies its flavor.
2. Roshagulla and Rajbhog
Roshagulla is a small round sweet, made from cheese curds. It is originally white in color, made by curdling milk using citric and then extracting and shaping the cheese curd from it. It is then boiled to harden, after which it is dipped and soaked in sugar syrup. Rajbhog is closely related to this sweet, with a delicious stuffing in the center.
3. Shondesh
A relatively dry Bengali sweet, the shondesh is a sweet and flavoursome sweet. Available is different shapes and sizes, this sweet is one of the most loved sweets of Bengal. It is traditionally sweetened with jaggery. It is harder than roshagulla and does not involve sugar syrup. It is one of the most famous sweets during the Durga Pooja.
4. Lobongo Latika
This sweet looks like a pastry, that is beautifully folded and them sealed using a clove. Lavang, or clove, is an overpowering flavor in this sweet. This sweet is made using refined flour, nutmeg powder, coconut, ghee, raisins, cardamom, cloves and sugar. This is a sweet for all occasions and is beautifully created to bring out a beautiful relish.
5. Malai Cham Cham
(Image credit: Sweet ‘n’ Savory)
A delectable and lovely sweet that will not spare you the drooling, is Malai cham cham. It is yet another dairy based sweet. A lovely smooth texture and dense flavors make this sweet an unforgettable rendezvous. Made with cheese curd and saffron, this sweet is best served chilled. This is generally oval in shape and generally has a golden hue to it.
6. Malpua
Malpua is a small round fried pancake. This sweet soft Indian pancake is one of the most delicious treats you can ever come across. Soaked in sugar syrup, this pancake is flavored using cardamom and saffron. This is best served with chilled Rabdi, a sweet, condensed milk based dish.
7. Rasmalai
This is yet another famous and loved sweet throughout India. It consists of small cheese curd balls, soaked in sweetened milk. These are in fact drenched in sweetened milk, flavoured with saffron, cardamom and almonds. This sweet is, undoubtedly, the devil’s delight.
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8. Kalo Jaam
This is a sweet which looks very similar to Gulab Jamun. This is made from flour, milk, cardamom and paneer, and then deep fried. Shaped into little spheres, these are then soaked in sugar syrup. Bengalis grow up eating this sweet, and this can be easily made at home.
9. Kheer Kadam
This is a surprise package. This is one of the most scrumptious desserts of West Bengal. It is a white rasgulla on the outside, and have a sweet juicy pink rasgulla in the middle. It is covered with grated khoya in the outside. This Bengali sweet is also known as Ras Kadam and has a double punch of taste.
10. Kacha Gulla
This is a soft, melt in your mouth kind of dessert. This can be made with variations. This an extremely light dish, and is healthier than other Bengali sweets. This one is a refreshing and light sweet which is not fried or soaked in rich sugar syrup. They are extremely soft and are generally flavored with saffron and rose water.
11. Pati Shapta
This sweet is a major part of every Bengali’s childhood. Generally prepared on Bengali New Year, this sweet is similar to pancakes, that are filled with grated coconut. These thin crepes are made with sooji, maida and rice flour. These can be served hot or cold. These will melt in your mouth and leave a lingering taste of delight.
12. Channar Jilipi
This dessert too, is made of khoya, paneer and maida. However, the taste is distinct and nowhere close to the other sweets. This sweet is round and almost resembles a jalebi.It is crisp on the outside and soft scrumptious on the inside. Devour this bliss and experience what heaven feels like!
13. Shor Bhaja
It is one of the toughest dishes to make, and is purely made of milk cream.Also known as Sarbhaja, the preparation of this sweet requires a lot of patience and expertise. Shor Bhaja made by boiling milk on high and low flames alternatively, to extract the maximum possible cream out of it. It is generally flavored with rose water and saffron.
14. Khirer Chop
Khirer Chop is another wonderful creation of the Bengalis. It is an amazing mix of flour, sooji, nutmeg, milk sugar and bread. It may take some effort and time, but it is all worth the wait. This chop is lightly tossed in sugar syrup. It is stuffed with kheer, making it a pocket of happiness and pleasure.
15. Chandrapuli
Chandra means white, and puli means cake. Thus this sweet looks like a white cake. This is made from khoya, paneer, coconut and jaggery. This is a fabulous treat for those with a sweet tooth, however, others may find it too sweet.
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