Chocolate sandesh recipe – Learn to make chocolate sandesh with step by step pictures. Sharing an easy and healthy Indian sweet recipe that can be made in a jiffy if you have panner or chenna in hand. However I am sharing the recipe from scratch including how to make chenna for making Bengali sweets and you can use the same for making this chocolate sandesh.
If you are a chocolate lover and looking for options to eliminate refined sugar from your diet, then this could be for you.
To make the chocolate sandesh, I have used chenna/paneer, cocoa, cane sugar and a pinch of cinnamon to add zing to the chocolate. If you do not have cane sugar, you can use white sugar too and can leave out the cinnamon if you dislike the flavour, but cocoa and cinnamon go very well together.
The way i make chenna or paneer for bengali rasgulla, rasmalai, sandesh, kalakand, paneer kheer and chum chum are all same.
How to make chenna for chocolate sandesh
1. If using refined sugar, powder it first, set aside. Bring milk to a boil, if using very cold milk do not heat up on high heat, it can smell bad. So If using very cold milk, warm up on a low flame first and then bring it to a boil on medium heat.
2. Dilute lemon juice with equal amount of water and pour it to the milk when it is rising up, about to overflow.
3. Stir and once you see the milk curdling, switch off and add ice cubes or pour ice cold water, to prevent further cooking, otherwise paneer will turn grainy like mine. Ice cubes work better.
4. Let it settle for a minute. Place a cheese cloth or muslin cloth in a colander and drain off the chenna along with water. If you wish you can collect the whey (water) and use it while kneading chapathi dough.
5. If using lemon juice or vinegar, rinse it under running water. If you have used yogurt you can skip rinsing.
6. Squeeze off the excess water and knot the cloth and hang it for 45 minutes for the excess water to drain off. The chenna or paneer is ready when all the whey has drained. It should be dry and no excess moisture should be left.
How to make chocolate sandesh
7. Crumble the paneer and knead it very well until the entire paneer turns soft and smooth. It should not be grainy. I somehow forgot and added the paneer as is without kneading so my chocolate sandesh turned grainy. Smooth paneer will yield you smooth chocolate sandesh.
Add it to the pan and add cane sugar or powdered sugar and mix well
8. Begin to cook on a medium heat without burning. The sugar will melt off. If using cane sugar it doesn’t become much gooey like the refined sugar mixture. Cook till the sugar blends well with the paneer. It must not be gooey but should be quite thick without much moisture.
9. Add cinnamon powder and cocoa. If using vanilla extract add it along with the cane sugar or sugar. Set this aside to cool. 10.Knead well for about 3 to 5 minutes to mix everything well.
Take small portions and make 8 balls and flatten them slightly. Top them with choco chips or sprinkles. Refrigerate until you serve. It can be served at room temperature too.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
To make chenna or paneer yields 1 ¼ cup
- 1 liter whole milk
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice or vinegar or ¼ cup of yogurt (add more if needed)
- 1 cup ice cubes
To make chocolate sandesh
- 1 ¼ cup paneer (little more or less will do)
- 5 to 6 tbsp sugar Cane sugar or (powder the sugar)
- 2 to 2 ½ tsp cocoa powder
- 1 pinch cinnamon powder or few drops of vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
Preparation for chocolate sandesh
- Heat up milk on a medium flame and bring it to a boil. Dilute vinegar or lemon juice with the same amount of water and set aside.
- When the milk comes to a boil, pour the lemon juice and stir well for the milk to curdle. Add ice cubes to the curdled milk to prevent further cooking, else chenna turns to a grainy texture
- Let it rest for a minute. Drain it off to a cheese cloth with a colander under it.
- Squeeze off excess whey and knot it. hang it for about 45 minutes depending on the moisture in the chenna or cheese.
- The paneer should not have any moisture in it and should turn dry.
How to make chocolate sandesh
- Crumble the paneer and knead it well until smooth for about 2 to 3 mins. This step helps to prevent the chocolate sandesh from turning grainy.
- Ensure the paneer is smooth and not grainy.
- Add it to a pan along with cane sugar or powdered refined sugar, vanilla. if using cinnamon you can add it with cocoa.
- Cook the mixture, the sugar melts and becomes gooey. Cook until the mixture thickens but is still moist.
- Off the stove and add cocoa and cinnamon. cool it.
- Knead well for about 3 to 5 minutes. Take small portions and make balls and flatten them slightly.
- Tuck your favorite toppings like choco chips or sprinkles.
- Refrigerate chocolate sandesh for about one hour and serve.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Pavi says
Hi,
I loved your recipe and am going to try it soon.
Will it stay good to eat after 1 or 2 days ?
swasthi says
Hi Pavi
Yes it can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days. It will keep good
Pavi says
Hi,
I loved your recipe and am going to try this soon.
Will it stay good to eat after 1 or 2 days ?
nancy says
hello mam
today I made this recipe. after 7th step when I try to knead the mixture. I could not knead. because mixture is dry.
mam please tell why the mixture is dry.
swasthi says
Nancy,
You have over cooked the mixture. You have either cooked it for long time or you have done it on a high flame. The mixture must be cooked on a medium flame. Now to fix this, just blend it in a small chutney jar. Try to make the sandesh. Hope this helps.
bajoriya says
can i use rose extract instead of vanilla extract for tis recepie?
swasthi says
Hi Bajoriya,
rose extract can be used. rose extract or vanilla extract can be skipped if you like chocolate flavor. It tastes good on its own
Ana says
tank u swathi sis
Pavi says
Hi,
I loved your recipe and am going to try this soon.
Will it stay good to eat after 1 or 2 days ?
veenashankar says
wow! looks amazing can u pass me?