All meals in Bengal should be accompanied by a sweet! The Bengali sweets variety is much adored across the globe as they have a delicate sweetness with a nice, soft texture and clever use of milk. chhena is fresh curd that uses warm milk to create a curdled consistency. These can be used to great effect. Whether you are going to visit Kolkata or just looking through an Indian sweet shop in your local town/town, this guide will help you know what to order.
Soft and Syrupy Favourites
Juicy and fluffy, these are very easy for newcomers to get into.
•Rasgulla – Spongey balls made from chhena. They are cooked in a light syrup made using sugar. Best served cold.
•Rasmalai – Flat discs made from chhena and then soaked in a thickened milk with cardamom.
•Pantua – A deep brown fried sweet similar to gulab jamun. The centre is very soft and covered in syrup.
•Lyangcha – Long deep fried sweet made in Shaktigarh. The outside is slightly crispy.
•Chomchom – Oval shaped sweets covered in mawa or coconut flakes. Often finished with a splash of cream on top.
Creamy, Nutty and Festival Classics
These are a more dessert style sweet and are often served at weddings, Durga Puja and family events.
•Sandesh – This is made from fresh chhena and lightly sweetened. It is shaped into different forms. In the Winter go for the nolen gur (date palm jaggery) version for a deep caramel flavour.
•Mishti Doi – Sweet yoghurt served in clay pots making it a thick consistency. It has a light caramel colour.
•Kheer Kadam – Small chhena balls with a sweet filling made from milk solids. Covered in grated khoya.
•Patishapta – Thin pancakes filled with coconut and jaggery. Popular during the Poush Sankranti harvest.
•Rajbhog – Big sweet with a saffron colour. It is stuffed with dried fruits and is perfect to share.
Top Tips
It is best to buy chhena sweets fresh. They are best eaten within a day or two and should be kept in the fridge. If ordering overseas, ask when they were made. Many of these sweets contain milk and nuts so make sure if you suffer from allergies to check the ingredients. Try eating small amounts as Bengali sweets are quite rich.
Even trying a few of these will give you an insight into why the dessert culture in Bengal is admired across the globe.
