Chocolate fudge with Jaggery or Chocolate Chikki

I often wondered how easy or difficult it would be to make home made fudge, or what is popularly know as Chikki in India. Well I googled a few things and experimented a few times,failed the first time, but this one is a winner.  Now traditionally, chikki is a crisp coating of jaggery, which is a raw and healthier form of sugar, that coats nuts of different kinds. Chikki literally means sticky, which is how it is at room temperature. My favorite is Cashew nut Chikki. Chikki is orginally a delicay from Lonavala, which is a valley town, that during monsoons is covered in mist and fog that is just; oh so romantic. Anyways I will tell you all about it some other time.

So as I was making treats for Ganesh festival, I thought why should adults have all the fun, why dont I make something that is visually appealing and tasty to eat for kids. So here's presenting heart shaped chocolate chikki fudge.

Ingredients:

1. 1cup Jaggery or Gud
2. 1cup mixed nuts- (you may use just one nut or a mixture for e.g walnuts, cashews,unsalted peanuts etc.)
3. ¾Cup Dark Chocolate chips 
4. 2tsps. Cinnamon powder (optional)
5. 1tbsp. Golden syrup (optional)

Tip:

I got this mold for 99cents at Ikea, 

they have all different shapes

Prepare your mold or what ever container you are going to use to pour the fudge mixture into. Make sure you line or grease the mold with butter or ghee.I greased my heart shaped molds with some ghee.

It is important to have this ready as you wont have time later once the jaggery has melted.

Method: 

• In a thick bottomed pan, add the jaggery, golden syrup and cinnamon powder. Stir continuously till it is melted. The golden syrup gives the fudge a nice glaze.
• Simultaneously melt your chocolate chips either in microwave on high for 2mins, or in a double boiler until the chocolate is almost melted.
• Now add melted jaggery to the partially melted chocolate along with the nuts.  Mix everything very well, but you have to be fast as you don't want the jaggery to solidify.
• Quickly transfer to the greased mold or container.
• Let it cool for 5mins, and then refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove the chikki fudge from the molds but tapping slightly and make sure you keep them refrigerated if the temperature is hot and humid.

They stay well for two weeks or more. Makes for a great in between meals snack.

Fudgy chocolate with the nuts and raw sweet flavors of jaggery makes it a truly exotic treat. Also, if you don't use chocolate and just add some water, you will end up with crisp chikki. So bite on!! 

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