Diwali/Deepavali Treat ~ Layered Carrot Halwa and Milk Sandesh Burfi

   October, is the month of festivity in India. After Durga Puja, it's time for Deepavali or Diwali or the Festival of Light. This is the festival for what whole India eagerly waits for whole year. It's the festival of meeting near and dear ones, having good time with friends and relatives. Dessert is an integral part of Diwali celebration. Though tons of sweets are bought from Sweet shops, but women in almost all households love to make a special sweet for their family and friends. I am not an exception, though, my kids love sweets a lot, but I do not entertain them much whole year, but festival time is exception, off course.
   Remember, the dessert I made last year and shared here, that was Stuffed Mawa Gujiya. This year, I have combined two of my family favorites and made one sweet. Gajar ka Halwa and Bengali milk sandesh are two of my family's favorite sweets. So I clubbed them and made this layered Carrot halwa and milk sandesh Burfi. How'z it? It tasted just yumm, my kids were going ga-ga over it. My neighbours complemented me and told me to share the recipe ASAP. So, writing the recipe to share with you all here..................

You Need :
For Gajar ka Halwa/Carrot halwa ::
Carrot : 750 gms.
Ghee : 2 tblsp.
Milk : 500 ml.
Sugar : 250 gms.
Elaichi Powder : 1 tsp.

For Milk Sandesh ::
Ghee : 1 tblsp.
Milk : 2/3 cup
Sugar : 1/2 cup
Milk Powder : 250-300 gms.

For Decoration ::
Pistachios : about 10 , slivered
Cashew Nuts : 7-8, halved
Almonds : slivered
Black cardamom seeds : few

How To ::

• Making of Gajar Ka Halwa :: Heat ghee in a wide pan, add grated carrots, stir well and mix with the ghee. Now add milk and let it cook, covered with a lid. Check tiem to time, when half of the milk has evaporated, add sugar according to your taste. Again covered with a lid, let it cook. When all of the milk has evaporated, remove the lid. Check on the sweetness level. Cook for some more time. When carrots are cooked and halwa doesn't stick to the pan anymore, remove from heat. Add elaichi or cardamom powder and mix well. Let it cool. You can add some chopped nut too in the halwa. 
• Now before you proceed to make milk sandesh, let prepare a plate where we'll set the burfi. Take a flat plate. You can either place a baking paper on it or either grease it with little ghee. Set aside. When Carrot halwa cools down, spread it on the plate in a 1/4 inch layer. Put it in the refrigerator and let it set.
• Making of Milk Sandesh :: In another pan, add ghee. When melts, add milk and sugar. Stir well, when sugar melts lower the flame(add sugar carefully as milk powder has sugar too) and add milk powder little by little. With the help of wire whisk, stir vigorously in allover the pan so that no lumps form. Check the sweetness. If needed, can add now. Stir continuously, this is quite painful part but for some homemade indulgences we have to take little pain, right? Keep stirring till the consistency seems like semi moist and semi dry. 
• Remove the milk sandesh mixture from heat. Remove the plate from refrigerator and spread the milk sandesh mixture carefully over the carrot halwa layer.

 

• Decorate with whatever nuts you have at home. Pistachio goes very well with any sandesh, so I decorated it with some slivered pistachios and half cashew nuts. You can also add some black cardamom seeds on sandesh layer. It tastes good, too. Decorate when milk sandesh is still hot and press with hand a little. Let it cool a little and then again refrigerate overnight to set properly.
• Your layered carrot halwa and milk sandesh Burfi is ready.

 So, Wish you all a happy, safe and joyful Diwali. May this Diwali usher in bright prospects for you and your family. HAPPY DIWALI/DEEPAVALI to all whio are celebrating this festival of light and festival of prosperity.