Besan Ladoo

*  3/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)

“Ladoos are an Indian and Pakistani sweet. I added a twist to mine and included coconut…my family loves these. They can be enjoyed at any holiday, as a treat during tea time, etc. And they’re easy to make, in my opinion.”
Ingredients

* 2 cups chickpea flour (besan)
* 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut (optional)
* 3 tablespoons ground almonds
* 1/2 cup superfine (castor) sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Directions

1. Heat the ghee in a wok over low heat. Stir in the chickpea flour and cook over low heat until the chickpea flour is toasted and the mixture smells fragrant, about 10 minutes. The mixture should be pasty, not powdery.
2. Remove the mixture from the heat and cool slightly until it is warm, not hot. Grind the coconut, if using, in a coffee grinder until fine. Add the ground almonds, superfine sugar, ground coconut, and ground cardamom to the wok and mix thoroughly.
3. While the mixture is warm, shape it into round balls that are about 1- to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Store the ladoos in an airtight container and let them sit for 2 to 3 hours to cool completely. They can be eaten immediately, but taste better after several hours.

Footnotes

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Cook’s Note
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I use a coffee grinder to grind the nuts (I recommend a combination of cashews, pistachios, almonds, and pecans). I also grind granulated sugar, coconut, and cardamom in the coffee grinder until fine.
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Editor’s Note
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Ladoo requires ghee, not whole butter. To make enough ghee for this recipe, use 1 cup of unsalted butter.