Maple Cream Simply Wonderfuls
KHARA JAGGERY PERA

-Recipe from Yamuna mataji

     A friend introduced me to the wonder of maple sugar as a sweetener, and we never tire of exchanging new ways to showcase its delicate flavor. It is the closest counterpart to Bengal’s exquisite nalin gur, an ingredient rarely found outside of the west Bengal. The confection is equally delicious sweetened with date sugar or date puree, all of them available at health food stores or mail order suppliers.

Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 10 minutes
Makes: 24 peras

½ cup (120 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (75 g) sieved and lightly packed maple or date sugar,
       Or 1/3 cup (80 g) seeded and pureed soft dates, or
      ½ cup (85 g) light brown sugar with 4 drops of maple extract
½ teaspoon (2 ml) coarsely crushed cardamom seed
a pinch of freshly ground white pepper
1 2/3 cups (205 g) non-fat skim milk powder, or as needed

        Cream the butter and sweetener in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the cardamom seeds, pepper and milk powder and work into a medium-soft dough. Wash and dry your hands and roll the fondant into 24 round balls. Place the balls in paper a candy cases and refrigerate, well sealed. They will keep for up to 4 days.