Milk Creams (Indian Cashew Sweets)

Of all the holidays, Christmas remains the one I look forward to most. In my childhood household in Mumbai, India, the first weeks of December were entirely devoted to preparing loads of cookies, cakes, and sweets. The sweets were made ahead of time because, like the cashew-based milk cream recipe I'm sharing today, they kept well for a couple of weeks (provided they were stored in an airtight container), ensuring that there was always something delicious and sweet around. Cashew-based sweets are quite common in India because the nuts are grown in the warmer parts of the country, like the western state of Goa. At holidays like Christmas, Easter, or Diwali, cashews inevitably make an appearance in some form or another, whether it's as cashew-based marzipans, milk creams, kaju katli, or even as garnishes or toppings on cakes. I like that milk creams are one of the simplest sweets to make. They require only a few ingredients and a little bit of patience, but other than that, the trickiest element is knowing when the "dough" (more accurately, a flourless taffy-like mixture you'll form in a mold) is ready to knead. This is a family recipe that I've tweaked quite a bit over time, swapping out some ingredients, tinkering with the technique, and incorporating a few tips from my mom, who still makes this sweet every Christmas.