2 In a pan add the sugar and water. Heat it and wait until you get a single string consistency. This may take 5-6 minutes. Single thread consistency is when you take a drop of the syrup between your thumb and index finger a single strand should form.

Update: I made it again and noted down the exact times. It took 5 minutes for the syrup to boil and another 3 minutes to get the single string consistency. But note that mine is an electric range and if you have a gas stove it should even quick.

3 Now stir in the powdered cashew in the sugar syrup. With a spatula (or preferably a big wooden fork) keep stirring; break any lumps, if any.

4 Add the rosemilk essence or food color if using and mix it thoroughly. Update: Mixing it just enough (two full stirs maybe) that the cashew powder absorbs the syrup should be fine.

5 Remove the pan from the stove and let it cool for at least 10-15 minutes. By then the mixture will thicken into a play dough (roti dough) like consistency. Update: Don’t cool it completely. Remove the mixture from the pan when it is warm enough to handle with bare hands, so that it won’t turn brittle and rolling would also be easy.

6 When the dough is cool enough to handle remove it from the pan and knead it, so that any small lumps of cashew can also be mashed. Roll the dough into a ball and flatten it.

7 I took two sheets of wax paper. Place the flattened cashew mixture in between the 2 papers and roll it with a rolling pin. Make a thin sheet and remove the wax paper from the top. If you don’t have wax paper, simply grease a clean surface with little ghee and then using a rolling pin stretch out the dough.

8 After an hour cut it into diamonds or squares.

2 If you decide to add rosemilk essence, I would suggest using just 2-3 drops. I used at least 5-6 drops to get that pink color, so the downside is some may feel that the flavor from the essence is overpowering the actual taste of kaju katlis.

3 It is mentioned in the recipe source that if the kaju katli is not fully set, it can be placed in the fridge overnight. Also these bars are good for at least 4 weeks when stored in normal room temperature.

2. Once the jaggery dissolves completely, pour this syrup slowly into another vessel so the impurities in the jaggery will remain in the bottom of the sauce pan itself.

3. Now clean the sauce pan and transfer the syrup back to the sauce pan itself.

4. Let this syrup boil for 2 minutes. Now add the oats to the syrup and let it boil for another 3 minutes. By this time the oats would have cooked.

5. Now add the coconut milk to the oats/jaggery mixture and combine it well. Once it boils, switch off the stove.

6. In a small frying pan add the coconut oil. Once it heats add the cashew pieces and raisins and fry until golden brown. Add this and the cardamom powder to the oats pradhaman.

3. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour, mixing until thoroughly blended.
4. Stir in coconut, cashews and cardamom powder.
5. After combining all the ingredients, the batter was a little bit watery. So I test baked just 1 tablespoon and the cookie spread so much.

6. So I added 3 tablespoons of semolina (sooji/rava) to the batter and combined it well and now the batter was nice and firm. Again I test baked another tablespoon of the dough and the macaroon came out perfect.

7. Then I went ahead and dropped tablespoonfuls of dough about 1 inch apart and baked it in the oven until it was golden around the edges (which approximately took 15 minutes). I got 24 (plus 2 test bake) macaroons for the above measurement.

8. Cool for 10 minutes on the sheet. This point is very important. Don’t try to remove the macaroons from the sheet once it is out the oven because it will be very flimsy. Again don’t put it back in the oven to harden it. Just leave the macaroons on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes and it will harden by itself.

9. Then transfer to a rack and cool completely.