Sakkarae Achhu/Sugar Candy

Sakkarae Achhu

Ingredients:

• 3  cups sugar
• 1 cup water (just enough to submerge sugar)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup yogurt(homemade or store bought)
• 1/2 a lemon
• 1 large piece of cheese cloth( any thin cotton cloth)
• 3 tbs of sugar candy/kallu sakkarae (optional)

Soaked sugar

Curdling syrup

Straining syrup

Wringing to Strain syrup

 

 

Method:



Strained syrup plus rind

In a large sauce pan soak sugar and kallu sakkarae with just enough water to submerge all of the sugar. Let it sit for an hour or so. Then place the pan on the stove and simmer the syrup on medium heat to melt the sugar content properly. When the syrup starts to boil thoroughly, mix in the milk. When this mixture begins to start foaming and boiling over, mix in the yogurt. Let  this mixture curdle, foam and boil over again and then squeeze in a little lemon juice ( about 1 tbs). Bring this syrup mixture to a good simmer and boil which will make the contents to separate and curdle even more. Turn off the heat.

Wet and thoroughly wring out the cheese cloth. Line a small mouth, tall  vessel with the cheese cloth and strain the syrup mixture carefully in it. Store the strained syrup to make sugar candy. Throw out the rind inside the cheese cloth.

Simultaneously, clean and place wood sugar moulds in a bowl of water. Remove these from water, tap on the outer to remove excess water in the moulds. Season the molds with a little oil or oil spray (Pam).  Use rubber bands to hold the two pieces of moulds together. Place them on parchment lined large plate or counter for easy clean up. The moulds are prepped to receive the sugar candy syrup.

Place a small bowl of cold water near the stove, to test the readiness of the sugar syrup during the candy making process.

Sugar syrup boiling

Prepped wooden moulds

Sugar candy/acchu in the moulds












Sugar Candy/Sakkarae Acchu making process:

1. In a small thick bottomed sauce pan heat 1 cup of the strained syrup on low heat and let it boil slowing for a several minutes, constantly stirring with a large spoon.
2. 
   

   

   Sugar Candy/Acchu

   If the syrup starts to foam a lot, it needs to be taken out of the heat and stirred thoroughly. Place the syrup back on the stove and continue to stir constantly. Continue this process on and off till the sugar syrup thickens.
3. Place a drop of the syrup in cold water and if the syrup makes a firm ball then it is ready to be spooned into the prepped moulds. **
4. Spoon in the syrup into the moulds. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and remove the rubber bands from the moulds.
5. Using ta butter knife or a blunt knife scrape off any excess dried on sugar syrup from the moulds.
6. Pry open the moulds and let the sugar candy /sakkarae achhu air dry for a few minutes.
7. Carefully remove the sugar candy from the moulds place them in a large plate to be stored in airtight containers later when completely cool.

Repeat the process from step 1 to finish all the cleaned and strained sugar syrup. The scraped and broken pieces can be added to this.

Cooking Tips:

Using the same small sauce pan, with all its dried on sugar candy in it and the scraped and broken sugar candy pieces, will help speed up the sugar candy making process. With this, there is also a tendency for the sugar candy to brown. Low heat is key to make whiter sugar candies. Can use food colors of your choice.

** no mould sakkarae acchu

**If you do not have wooden sugar moulds, pour/spoon the syrup on to a well greased aluminum foil or lightly greased parchment paper lined plate. Let cool for 15 minutes or till fairly cool. Cut it up  into bite size pieces  for consumption. Or cut into smaller 1/4" square pieces and use in Sankranthi Yellu mixture or any of your own trail mixes. Can also use hard candy moulds instead of the wooden moulds.

Serving Tips:



Distribution ready

Traditionally made during Makra Sankranthi festival (Mid January) and distributed to family and friends along with fruits, sugarcane and sankranthi yellu.