Gulkand Chocolates

Being a Home-Science student, i had learnt to bake cakes and pastries in my college. But i had never tried my hand at chocolates  Chocolate making always seemed tough to me, until i tried making them a couple of days back for our biggest festival, Diwali. We often make chaklis, chiwda, sev and ladoos and karanjis as sweets in Diwali. That's the traditional "Faraal" as we call it ! This time, i left all the "Faraal- making" to my mother, and i thought of making something different! Gulkand chocolates were one of it ! I remember seeing one of my elder cousin Anu Tai making chocolates at home, but i never really asked her the recipe ever. I was too young that time anyway and remember, Kitchen was a NO-NO for me ????!!!

This recipe was given to me by another cousin, who apparently took it  from her friend or internet ( i am not aware of it !)...she keeps sending me recipes to try out and this one was really mouth watering , as it has my favourite Gulkand in it :) Normally Gulkand is eaten in summer time as it has a cooling effect on the body. But as much a Gulkand fan that i am, i can eat Gulkand any time of the year. It anyways, has lots of benefits according to Ayurveda. Gulkand is basically a preserve of rose petals. Sugar and rose petals are arranged in layers and kept in sunlight for a particular number of days! So, Gulkand and chocolate surely seems a terrific combination that can be eaten anytime of the year :)

The Gulkand story : When i decided to make these, i first asked around my local shops if they keep Gulkand and i was told that i wont get it anywhere nearby and would have to travel almost an hour to buy it. I was literally this crazy "Gulkand searching Mumbaiite" going from shop to shop with my husband. In Mumbai, we get it in almost all neighborhood shops or even in Medical shops. It was strange for me that people don't eat Gulkand here in New Delhi ( where climates are extremes), or maybe it was just because of the season... Its beginning of winters and not many eat Gulkand in winters. A friend told me, i will get it at local "Paanwala" shop, but i was sure he would not give me the quantity that i require, and if at all he agrees, he will sell it at real high cost ! Plus i was not too sure of the quality that they use. 
I came home and searched online... some mentioned "Out of Stock", some "Delivery in 7 days " ( Didnt have that much time, as had to travel to Mumbai ) and in some websites, it was mandatory to order in Huge bulk quantities ( i even gave my husband the idea of starting Gulkand business... hehehe )
I had finally decided, that if i don't get Gulkand, i will substitute it with something else but luck was upon me ! I had to travel to meet a friend from San Francisco in an area which is the Center of Delhi (almost an hour from where i stay) and has lot of shops around, and just after our meeting, i asked in a shop there if they had Gulkand?? I was guided to a local small grocery store named "Kashmir Store" and Voila !!! They had only 2 bottles left!!! I immediately bought both of them...( though i have used only 1/2 bottle from it)...I was as happy that day as if i had discovered some hidden treasure !!!!

Finally, i was ready with all the ingredients to make these yummyliscious delicious chocolate khoya rolls stuffed with Gulkand  :)))

Ingredients :

Gulkand : 200 gms

Khoya / Mawa ( Fresh is always preferred...i luckily found a nice shop who make homemade mawa but you can use the packet one too) - 2 cups

Chocolate (Morde or any other compound chocolate ) - 3/4 cup ( grated). Its easy to grate compound chocolate when its taken just out of the fridge.

Powdered sugar - Just little to sprinkle

Cellophane paper or cling foil - to roll

Recipe  :

Saute Khoya in a non stick pan till it becomes soft. Only saute for 4-5 minutes. Do not let it melt. It should become soft.

Let it cool down and add 1/2 cup grated chocolate to it. Mix well.

Take a cellophane paper or a cling foil and sprinkle some powdered sugar and around 1/4 cup of grated chocolate ( or according to taste) on it. Spread the khoya mixture on it and keep the shape into a square. You can press the mixture with hands or with a spatula.Make sure there are no cracks in the mixture. Join them by hands if there are any.

Put Gulkand on the mixture evenly.

Now gently roll the Khoya with the cellophane paper first and then with hands, join all the sides. Its like a sandwich with Gulkand filling. Make sure the mixture is rolled tightly.

Refrigerate the roll for 3-4 hours or till firm.

Cut into pieces and your chocolates are ready :))

You can either make a big roll with all the mixture or you can make 2-3 rolls with small quantities of mixture. I made 3 small rolls with this quantity of ingredients. Its easier to refrigerate and to cut.

Happy Cooking :)