If you love trying different types of desserts, than I’m pretty sure you will enjoy trying this recipe!
Srikand is a traditional type of Indian dessert made with plain yogurt that is “hung” or drained of all liquids till it is a very thick and creamy – similar to a Greek yogurt but without that extra tartness in flavor. In this yogurt mix, mixed nuts, saffron, fruits and many other sweet treats are added in and then finally refrigerated so it is cold when ready to serve.
Sometimes, when people will make this dessert, they will use Greek Yogurt because it is already thick in texture, and doesn’t have that much liquid in it. Or – some people prefer to use the “hung milk yogurt” with a mix of sour cream in it to add a bit of tartness to the overall dish. No matter, what preference you have to make this dish, it is a really beautiful dessert with the golden-yellow yogurt from the saffron, the mixed nuts and sweetness of the fruits and other ingredients added into it.
My recipe on the other hand, start off traditional with the use of whole milk yogurt that I placed on a cheesecloth lined colander and allowed to sit out for a few hours till the yogurt was creamy and thick – as I mentioned earlier. BUT – I’m not a big fan of sour cream or greek yogurt in this particular dessert, so instead of these add-ins during my prep, I put in some deliciously creamy and perfectly thick mascarpone cheese.
Can I just tell you?? This is the golden ticket ingredient to add into Srikand for me. The mixture of the thick yogurt and the creamy mascarpone cheese, along with all the other ingredients I have in my recipe is Spot on – Amazing!! I will never make srikand differently again. There is a perfect balance all around of sweetness with slight hint of tart from the yogurt, but is not overpowering at all. You have to try this recipe! You will LOVE it!
HALWA SRIKAND (Saffron Yogurt Pudding)
Servings: 4-6 people
Ingredients:
- 32 oz. of whole milk plain yogurt (fresh or store-bought)
- 8oz. room-temperature mascarpone cheese
- 1.5 tsp of finely ground green cardamom
- 1 ¼ cup of sugar (add up to 1.5 cups for more sweetness)
- ¼ cup of crushed pistachios + 2 Tbsp. extra for garnish
- ¼ tsp. of roughly crushed saffron + extra pinch for garnish
- 2-3 oz. of small, cubed sesame halwa pieces (Joy Brand)
- 2 Tbsp. of pomegranate seeds (garnish)
- 1 Tbsp. of edible flowers (garnish)
Note: You may omit the halwa if desired and replace by adding extra pomegranate and pistachios.
Instructions:
- Place yogurt in a cheesecloth lined wide colander and allow all liquids in the yogurt to drain off completely. (This will take about 4-6 hours to make the “hung yogurt” for this dessert.) *Keep mixing yogurt every 2 hours to make sure the yogurt looks thick and very creamy – without liquids in it.
- Once yogurt has been fully drained and it has become extremely thick, remove from cheesecloth and place in a large bowl to begin prepping.
- Add in room-temperature mascarpone into the yogurt and blend together with hand mixer or spoon till it is all mixed together, smooth, and creamy. (The mixture should still be very thick in consistency.)
- Once mixed, fold in the cardamom, sugar, pistachios, saffron and halwa cubes. (Gently fold in all ingredients to avoid any halwa breakage.) *This is the time to add in extra pistachios & pomegranate if omitting halwa)
- Transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until very cold.
- When serving, remove from fridge and sprinkle all garnishes on top (pistachios, pomegranate seeds, edible flowers and saffron.)
- Serve cold.
1. Yogurt draining in cheesecloth 
2. Mascarpone and sugar blended into thick yogurt. 
3. Adding in cardamom, saffron 
4. Adding in crushed pistachios. 
5. Cut small cubes of sesame halwa 
6. Saffron yogurt with all add-ins & refrigerate before adding garnish. 
7. Add Garnishes after srikand has been refrigerated.
In many Indian homes, srikand is served WITH your main meal, as a side to help tame some of the heat from your main curry dishes. But – in my home, we sometimes serve it as a side item, and sometimes we save it for dessert. It’s something different for your guests to look forward too and a gorgeous example of an Indian dessert with all the vibrant colors, different textures and various flavors!
Let me know what you think! Comment below and tag me with your srikand recipe pics on IG @cmspiceculture.
Enjoy!
