Kaju Pista Roll is a decadent and very addictive sweet recipe made with cashews and pistachios. Making this halwai style recipe right at home for Deepavali festival or any celebration is not very difficult. It is a fun project to indulge in, making two types of fudge recipes – one using cashew nuts and the other using pistachios. It basically uses three main ingredients and but the recipe is slightly elaborate to make it fail-proof. The cashew fudge is made using a sugar syrup which is similar to kaju katli but the pistachio fudge is a no-cook recipe. It is very easy to turn this recipe to a complete no-cook version too, to make it simpler. The exciting part of the recipe is obviously rolling pista fudge in cashew fudge but if you find it difficult, it can be made into different other shapes and forms too. Checkout the substitutions & variations section for more details.
Key Ingredients
Cashews and Pistachios are the key ingredients for making kaju pista roll. We use raw kaju and pista, in powdered form to make the fudge recipes. Sugar is used as the sweetener, in powdered form for pista roll and sugar syrup form for cashew roll. For full list of ingredients and exact measurements, check the recipe below.
Tips & Important Notes for Making Kaju Pista Roll
Making kaju pista rolls at home is slightly time-consuming and the recipe is long. This is not a beginner-friendly recipe although there are just three ingredients. The recipe is elaborate to account for the finer details and to make it fail-proof. Checkout the below tips and notes before trying the recipe. We use raw cashews and pistachios to make the fudge recipes. Both cashews & pistachios should be ground to a fine powder, but in regular intervals so as to avoid turning the nuts into butter. When ground continuously for longer duration, cashews & pistachios release oil and we do not want that. For cashew roll, we need to make sugar syrup and it needs to be less than one string consistency. As soon as the sugar turns sticky and forms a very thin line when touched between fingers, add the cashew powder. The consistency of the cashew fudge needs to be leaving the sides of the pan but also softer than kaju katli. This makes it pliable and be rolled with the pistachio fudge. Otherwise, it will be difficult to roll it smooth without any cracks. Cashew roll dough should be worked on while it is hot/warm and rolled with the pista roll so that it is smooth. If the cashew dough is too tight after cooling down, it cannot be used to make the roll as it shows that the sugar syrup consistency was not correct. You will have two options – add ¼ cup of hot water, break all lumps and cook again to the right consistency – this is not easy but doable. The other option is to make it into a burfi by placing pista fudge on top, cut into desired shapes. If the cashew dough is too sticky/runny, the easiest fix is to add some cashew powder & knead until the dough the firm enough to be rolled. Pistachio fudge is a no-cook recipe and a tablespoon of water/milk is used to bind it together. Do not add more liquid as it turns the fudge runny and not easily rollable. Using a parchment paper to roll the cashew fudge and also to form the roll so that it is easier to handle and is non-sticky. Greasing the rolling pin, hands with ghee makes it easier to make the rolls.
Substitutions & Variations
To make no-cook version of Kaju Pista Roll, follow the same approach as the pista fudge – there will not be much of taste difference although cooked cashew is tastier & richer. If making rolls seems harder, it is easier to make this same recipe into burfi or bars. Place on sheet of rolled fudge on the other and cut into desired shape. Edible food color is optional – I used it as the natural pistachio color is a very dark green on powdered. This recipe calls for 1:2 for sugar to cashew ratio which is not very sweet at all. You can increase or decrease the sugar depending on the sweetness preference.
Storing & Serving Suggestions
Kaju Pista Roll stays well for over 2 weeks in an airtight container in refrigerator. You can store it at room temperature too at airtight container for a week. Serve as after meal dessert or snack. This is popularly made as part of Deepavali sweets.
Similar Recipes
Kaju Pista Roll Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
To Make Pista Roll: In a blender jar add ½ cup fresh pistachios and grind into a smooth powder by pulsing at regular intervals. Remove it onto a mixing bowl and add ¼ cup powdered sugar. Mix well. Add a few drops of edible green food color and mix it in. Add 1 tablespoon cold milk/water and start kneading the dough. Roll into a tight but pliable pista roll dough. If it is too sticky, grease your fingers with few drops of ghee. To Make Cashew Roll: Prepare two parchment papers to place the prepared kaju roll. Add 1 cup cashews to a blender and pulse through few times to make a smooth powder. It should not have large bits, but it should not be too fine in a paste form. In a nonstick pan, add ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup water. Heat on medium flame until the sugar is melted and there are bubbles at the bottom of the pan. When you touch the syrup between your index and thumb fingers, it should be sticky and form a very thin string that doesn’t hold shape. Reduce the flame to low and quickly added the prepared cashew powder. Mix well quickly without any lumps. The mixture will begin to thicken. Add ½ teaspoon ghee. Keep stirring on low flame as the mixture begins to bubble. Continuously stir the mixture, scraping from the edges. In about 5-6 mins, it will come together. When it just begins to leave the pan remove from heat. It will not be too solid and look runny. Quickly transfer the mixture onto the parchment paper and add another ½ teaspoon of ghee on top. In about 5 mins, the mixture becomes warm enough to handle. Carefully fold it in multiple times to make a smooth ball of kaju dough. When the mixture is still warm, place the smoothened kaju mixture between two parchment papers and roll it gently into a circle of about 2mm in thickness. Cut the rolled kaju dough in half and carefully separate each part. To Make Kaju Pista Roll: Divide the pista dough into two parts and roll each part into a log of desired thickness (do not make it too thin) Place the prepared pista roll on top of rolled kaju dough. Start rolling it tightly, with the help of the parchment paper if necessary. Using greased fingers roll the prepared log to get to even thickness. Cut off the edges and cut the prepared log into small sized pieces. Place silver vark on top if using. Once cooled down, kaju pista roll becomes hard and non-sticky. Store in an air tight container at room temperature for upto a week and in fridge for longer shelf life.
Recipe Notes
Pay attention to the sugar syrup consistency. It should not even be one string consistency, but right before it to add cashew powder. If you overcook the sugar syrup, the mixture becomes hard to roll & slice.Don’t roll the kaju dough too thick or else, it forms a thick outer layer in the roll.When the cashew fudge is hot, don’t try to knead or roll it as it can really burn your fingers. Wait until it is warm enough to handle to knead and roll.Use ghee as necessary to grease if the mixtures get sticky.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
