Kesar Diwali Sweets: Quick Answer
Kesar Diwali sweets look festive and smell amazing. Kesar works best in milk-based Diwali sweets like barfi, peda, kheer, phirni, rasmalai and shrikhand, and also in kaju katli and ladoo. Use 10–15 soaked strands for ½ kg mithai, or 15–20 for 1 litre milk. Always add the kesar near the end, once the mixture is almost done.
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Why kesar in Diwali mithai
In our family, we buy kesar every other month, and always before Diwali. A little kesar changes how a plain sweet looks and smells.
- Colour: a soft golden yellow without any food colour
- Aroma: a sweet, earthy smell that fills the kitchen
- Festive feel: kesar mithai simply looks like Diwali
How to add kesar to any sweet
The method is the same for all eight sweets below. Soak first, add last.
- Soak strands in 1–2 spoons warm milk for 15–20 minutes
- Add the strands and the milk together near the end
- Keep a few whole strands aside to press on top for garnish
- Full guide: (read: How to Use Saffron)
1. Kesar barfi
Mawa barfi takes kesar beautifully because the base is plain and milky. The kesar milk goes in once the mawa and sugar come together.
- 10–12 strands for 250 g mawa
- Add after the mixture leaves the sides of the kadhai
- (read: Kesar Barfi Recipe)
2. Kesar peda
Peda is barfi’s softer cousin, shaped by hand. Kesar adds colour to the mawa before you knead it with sugar.
- 10–12 strands for 250 g mawa
- Add while roasting, in the last 1–2 minutes
- (read: Kesar Peda Recipe)
3. Kesar kheer
Kheer is the easiest place to start. Rice, milk, sugar, elaichi and kesar, nothing else needed.
- 15–20 strands for 1 litre milk
- Add in the last 5 minutes of simmering
- Our family version: (read: Panchmeva Kesar Kheer)
- Makhana version: (read: Makhane ki Kesar Kheer)
4. Kesar phirni
Phirni is made with ground rice and set in small earthen bowls. We make phirni at home every Diwali.
- 15–20 strands for 1 litre milk
- Add once the phirni thickens, just before you pour it into bowls
- (read: Kesar Phirni Recipe)
5. Kesar rasmalai
In rasmalai, the kesar goes into the thickened milk, not the chenna discs. The discs soak it up as they rest.
- 15–20 strands for 1 litre milk
- Add once the milk has reduced, then chill
- (Kesar Rasmalai Recipe, coming soon)
6. Kesar kaju katli
Kaju katli is usually plain white. A little kesar gives it a light golden shade and a new flavour.
- 8–10 strands for 1 cup kaju
- Add the kesar milk to the sugar syrup before the kaju powder goes in
- (Kesar Kaju Katli Recipe, coming soon)
7. Kesar ladoo
Kesar fits both besan ladoo and motichoor ladoo. Use it in the sugar syrup for motichoor, or rub crushed kesar into roasted besan.
- 10–15 strands for ½ kg ladoo
- For besan ladoo, add after the besan cools slightly
- (Kesar Ladoo Recipe, coming soon)
8. Kesar shrikhand
Shrikhand is hung curd whisked with powdered sugar and elaichi. Kesar turns it into the golden kesar shrikhand you see in sweet shops.
- 10–12 strands for 500 g hung curd
- Mix in cold, soaked in 1 spoon warm milk
- (Kesar Shrikhand Recipe, coming soon)
Our Diwali kesar tradition
Every Diwali, Papa crushes kesar on the silbatta for our panchmeva kesar kheer. It goes to the whole family as prasad after the puja.
- No sugar is added, the mithai brings all the sweetness
- 5–10 crushed strands for ½ litre milk
- (read: Panchmeva Kesar Kheer)
Which kesar to use for mithai
In mithai, you want kesar that gives deep colour and strong smell with fewer strands. I prefer Mongra for its denser fragrance and flavour.
- What Mongra is: (read: Mongra Saffron)
- Check it’s real: (read: How to Identify Pure Kashmiri Kesar)
- Buy it right: (read: How to Buy Kashmiri Saffron)
Kesar Diwali Sweets FAQs
How much kesar for ½ kg mithai? 10–15 strands, soaked in 1–2 spoons warm milk.
When should I add kesar to sweets? Near the end, once the mixture is almost done. Long cooking dulls the aroma.
Can I use kesar in store-bought mithai? Yes. Brush a little kesar milk on top of plain barfi or peda and press a strand on each piece.
Does kesar change the taste of mithai a lot? A little. It adds aroma and a light earthy note. Too much makes it bitter.
Do I need food colour with kesar? No. Good kesar gives enough natural golden colour.
