Besan Ke Ladoo
I have never been fond of Indian sweets. But laddoo, especially Besan Ke Ladoo has always had a sweet corner in my foodie’s heart. Laddoo translates to a round ball; these treasured sweets of ghee, different flours, sugar, dry fruits and nuts. Just the mention of ladoo will make your taste buds drool. I have never made mithai at home. My super chef friend, Kalpana came visiting from Chennai and I learnt how to make them from her.
It is a vital part of our festivals and celebrations. Be it the birth of a baby, an engagement, wedding, the birth of a baby or the launch of a new enterprise, ladoos are ubiquitous on every propitious occasion as an expression of happiness.
Different ladoos from different regions
Every region in India has its own distinctive identity spiked with a unique history and tradition. Could be coconut ladoo from the south or motichur from the north, dinchake ladoo from the west or the til from the east; ladoos are loved universally.
Did you know that in times bygone, ladoos were considered as a medicine owing to the healing properties of their ingredients? They evoke our fondest and are considered to be a symbol of good luck as well.
Over the centuries, people from different areas started trying out whatever condiments was readily available in their region.
I am very proud to say that even we have the renowned Bandar or Tokkudu ladoo got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2017. They are famous in the coastal town of Machilipatnam or Bandar as it is popularly known, in Andhra Pradesh. They have their own recipe of ladoos, made from besan and jaggery.
In Indian homes, recipes come down from traditions, stories, from instinct, and the perfect taste comes from experience. For example, when I cook, I rarely ever measure ingredients. I instinctively know how much to make or use. If you ask me how long to roast the besan, I would say; until it smells roasted.
Roasting the Besan for Besan ke Ladoo
The first step to make Besan ke Ladoo is to roast the besan in ghee. Ghee adds a nutty, caramel flavour and helps preserve the ladoos for a fortnight.
After roasting the besan looks like a golden hue, emanates a nutty aroma, and converts into a rich, aromatic ingredient, needed for this sweet. It is vital to roast the besan on a medium-low flame while stirring constantly. This process guarantees that each granule of besan is roasting evenly; it also stops the besan from scorching and becoming bitter.
Once the long-drawn roasting is done, the heat is turned off and it is allowed to cool marginally; the sugar and cardamom powder is then added to it.
Finally, you get the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth consistency that this ladoo is known for.
Do check out the Gajar Ka Halwa Sooji Halwa and Atta Halwa recipes.
Recipe for Besan Ke Ladoo
INGREDIENTS
3 cup ghee or clarified butter
6 cups besan or gram flour, coarse
4 cups of powdered sugar
12 pods cardamom or elaichi
3-4 spoons of milk
A handful of halved cashew
METHOD
Firstly, in a large Kadai heat 3 cups of ghee and add 6 cups of besan.
Roast on low flame until the besan is nicely combined with the ghee.
Continue to roast on low flame.
After 20 minutes, the besan starts to release ghee from the sides.
Continue to roast until the besan turns golden brown and grainy. It may take about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the milk over the besan and keep stirring.
Now, remove from fire and allow to cool slightly.
Powder the sugar and cardamom in a blender.
Once the besan is slightly warm add in the powdered sugar.
Mix well making sure everything is well combined.
Finally, take about two tablespoons of the batter and squeeze it together in your palm a few times in order to form a small round ball.
Use only one hand. Lightly grease your palms with ghee, as this provides a seal around the laddoo. Add half a slice of cashew to every ball of ladoo.
If the mixture is sticking to your palm please wipe it off before rolling again.
As the laddoos cool, they convert from a soft, flaky consistency into a firm, solid mass.
Enjoy besan ladoos for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container.
The final booty of precious, compressed golden balls, with a crumbly centre, will melt into a soft, creamy texture on the tongue.
Notes:
- The Gram flour should be preferably grainy
- Do not add sugar while the mixture is hot. As it will melt the sugar and makes the mixture watery.
- Sprinkle the milk all over and not pour it.
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla and happily SPONSORED BY RRE Studios and SHOWCASE Events.
- 3 cup Ghee or clarified butter
- 6 gram cups besan orflour coarse
- 4 cups of powdered sugar
- 12 pods cardamom or elaichi
- 3-4 spoons of milk
- A handful of halved cashew
- Firstly, in a large Kadai heat 3 cups of ghee and add 6 cups of besan.
- Roast on low flame until the besan is nicely combined with the ghee.
- Continue to roast on low flame.
- After 20 minutes, the besan starts to release ghee from the sides.
- Continue to roast until the besan turns golden brown and grainy. It may take about 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle the milk over the besan and keep stirring.
- Now, remove from fire and allow to cool slightly.
- Powder the sugar and cardamom in a blender.
- Once the besan is slightly warm add in the powdered sugar.
- Mix well making sure everything is well combined.
- Finally, take about two tablespoons of the batter and squeeze it together in your palm a few times in order to form a small round ball.
- Use only one hand. Lightly grease your palms with ghee, as this provides a seal around the laddoo.
- If the mixture is sticking to your palm please wipe it off before rolling again.
- As the laddoos cool, they convert from a soft, flaky consistency into a firm, solid mass.
- Enjoy besan ladoos for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container.
- The final booty of precious, compressed golden balls, with a crumbly centre, will melt into a soft, creamy texture on the tongue.
Notes:
1. The Gram flour should be preferably grainy
2. Do not add sugar while the mixture is hot. As it will melt the sugar and makes the mixture watery.
3. Sprinkle the milk all over and not pour it.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I love Besan ka Laddoo. Must try making them. Only problem is too much calory and sweetener.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I love Besan ka Laddoo. Too much calories and sweet, though.
Besan ladoo are my favorite. I make it very often. To save time, I do roasting part in the microwave.Desi ghee adds extra flavor.
I just love besan ladoos! Will try out this recipe. Can I halve the quantities?
Yes, of course..I was making for distributing so I made a big batch. You can just make a cup of besan dear.
Besan ke ladoo is my all time favorite but I often face some issues to make it perfectly. thanks a lot dear for sharing proper recipe. will follow it and let you know my experience .
Both my husband n son have a sweet tooth but since I dnt eat sweets, when ever I try my hands at making it, I mess with the measurement. I am now gonna try making this besan ladoos as per your recipe and hopefully make the two men of my life happy.
Thanks for sharing the detailed recipe with tips. I also make besan ladoo by adding sugar , would love to try with jaggery now.
Besan Laddoos have a special place, not in our house only but our hearts also. My son is a crazy lover of Besan Laddoos. I also follow the same process, only the difference I sprinkle water on roasted besan instead of milk. But next time, whenever I will make sure to try sprinkling milk over it.
Besan is good for winter. It looks Yummy and will try it soon.
I love Besan ke Ladoo and I make them very often. I normally add a little rava in it to give it that coarse nature if the besan flour is too fine.
Well I don’t like besan laddoos but the way you described the whole recipe, I could smell the aroma , it has tempted me to try. My whole family loves it except me. Thanks for sharing. Enjoyed!
This is super tempting. I’m drooling over your pics and so tempted to try out this recipe. It’s perfect for winters!
My all time favorite. We obviously don’t add nuts. Haven’t tried adding milk. Will surely try out your version of the recipe next time we want to indulge 🙂
I make besan laddoo regularly. Both my husband & me love it. But I have never added milk to it….must try it next time. I also cut almonds and slightly dry roast them and add them to the besan before rolling them into laddoos. Sometimes, I add roasted melon seeds too. Being a south indian, my mom makes laddoos from sesame seeds regularly as well.
Here in Kerala Besan me laddoo is not very common. Hence when I tried it home it was a variety. But everytime I goofed up something or the other. Thanks for your recipe. Now I can make perfect Besan me laddoo
Besan ke laddoo is an all-time favourite. A lot of memories are associated with it. Thank you so much for the recipe. Loved how you have explained everything in detail..
Besan Laddoos are our favorite especially during winters when we normally crave high-calorie food. Thanks for the simple yet tasty recipe.
By showing your ladoo pics, actually you are checking our patience… i will 2 to 3 if they are in my house. These are seriously.mouth watering.loved it..
Besan k ladoo my kids favourite. You make it so easy and helpful to make this yummy sweet.
Me and my family love besan ke laddoo. We make it quite often and enjoy it during the Christmas season as well. They have such an earthy flavor and are something that one should not miss out on. Will try your recipe too.
Ancient age ladoos were truly a kind of medicine. We even make gond ke laddoos in winters, they are so good for health with all nuts. Your recipe for besan ke ladoo is same as I do. Will make some as winters are soaked in North India.
They look absolutely delectable and are perhaps one of the easiest recipes in making a traditional Indian sweet dish. Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe l.
Wow even though it is famous in the north. I really like began ladoo and surely try the recipe and let you know. How it came out. Thanks for writing 😇😊
The laddoos look so so tempting. My mom makes amazing besan ke laddoo. I haven’t tried making at home yet. But your recipe looks simple and easy to try.
Wow. this looks so yummy. At a Punjabi household, we make Pinniyan during winters, although they are a mix of many pulses ka flour, the concept is the same. I would love to try your recipe too!
My son and my sister live began ladoos. We always have it prepared by my mother in law. The process you mentioned is slightly different but everything you described about how to bind kadii, when to change flame, aroma, texture is just as is.
Love besan
You remember, I told you that besan ke laddoos are my daughter’s favorite 🙂 Do din pehle hi banaye the after I saw your post on Instagram 🙂
Besan laddo is my favorite. I never tried making them at home. I always liked halwai version of these laddos. I will try to make them at home. Thanks for sharing tips for making them in a right way.
Yum! I love besan ke laddoo. The Machilipatnam laddoo- I have tried because I am from Hyderabad and I simply love them! Your pics are drool-worthy! Gonna try them!
Besan ke laddoo is one of my favourite sweets. The key to the perfect ones is roasting the besan the right brown with homemade desi ghee. My mom made the best ones! Good and easy recipe.
I just watched the video. It is one of my favourite homemade sweets. Thank you for sharing these step by step instructions.
Love the smell when it is roasting. Your ladoos look amazing! I usually prepare wheat flour ladoos and we buy besan ka ladoos from outside, but your post has simplified it. Will definitely try.
One of my favourites. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. I’d really give them a try
Thanks for sharing the detailed recipe with tips. I am tempted to try these besan ladoo now at home.
wow these are my favourite.. I can eat day or night , diet or no diet.. however thanks for the recipe.. some tips of yours can help me to enhance my ladoos flavour
What a delicious, mouthwatering besan ladoo. It is our favorite at home and my husband loves having it at any time of the day. Thanks for the recipe. I shall try this out
This looks super delicious, this ladoos are our family favourite. Your recipe is delicious.
This time our recipes coincide. Even I make besan ladoo with same recipe.
My mom makes the most mouth watering besan ladoos and I always have a box full in my fridge. Winter evenings, its heavenly and soul soothing. 🙂 And yeah, yours and my moms recipes are very similar. So can imagine how delicious yours would be.. 🙂
Indian sweets are my fav when it comes to sugar indulgence. My brother was asking if I can make besan ke ladoo at home and guess, I have a perfect recipe for it 🙂 saving it.