Description
These traditional Indian coconut pastries, known as gujiya, feature a rich, creamy filling made from reduced milk, grated coconut, nuts, and aromatic spices, encased in a crisp, golden deep-fried pastry shell. Perfectly sweet and fragrant, these gujiyas are a delightful treat for festive occasions or as a special dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling
- 1 litre whole milk (preferably Jersey milk)
- 125g caster sugar
- 200g frozen grated coconut, defrosted
- 50g blanched almonds, finely chopped
- 50g raisins
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
For the Pastry
- 275g flour
- 35g ghee, melted and cooled
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- Cold water, enough to bind dough
- Sunflower oil, for kneading and deep-frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Milk Reduction: Pour the whole milk into a wok, karahi or sturdy casserole and heat over medium heat. Stir continuously and scrape the sides of the pan as the milk slowly reduces over 25-30 minutes until it thickens to a creamy consistency similar to softly set scrambled eggs and starts coming away from the pan sides. Turn off the heat.
- Make the Filling: Transfer the thickened milk to a clean pan and add caster sugar. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Add grated coconut, chopped almonds, raisins, ground cardamom, and grated nutmeg. Continue cooking over medium heat for another 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens further. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the Pastry Dough: Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the cooled melted ghee. Using your fingertips, rub the ghee into the flour until the mixture has a coarse breadcrumb texture. Gradually add cold water, just enough to bind the mixture into a very firm dough. Knead the dough thoroughly until smooth. Cover and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Shape the Dough Balls: Divide the dough into 17-18 equal pieces, about 20g each. Shape each piece into a ball approximately 3cm in diameter. Keep the dough balls covered to prevent drying out.
- Roll Out the Pastry Circles: Lightly oil your work surface. Roll out each dough ball into roughly 10cm diameter circles. Imperfect circles are acceptable; uniformity is not necessary.
- Heat the Oil for Frying: In a wok or karahi, heat sunflower oil over medium heat to approximately 130°C. To test, drop a cube of bread in—the cube should brown in about 1 minute.
- Fry the Gujiyas: Fry gujiyas in batches, carefully placing them into the hot oil. Fry for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pastry is golden and crisp on both sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and drain on kitchen paper.
- Cool and Store: Allow the gujiyas to cool to room temperature before serving. Store in an airtight container where they will keep fresh for 3-4 days.
Notes
- Using Jersey milk is preferable due to its higher fat content which provides a creamier filling.
- Continuous stirring of the milk is essential to prevent burning and ensure even thickening.
- The oil temperature is critical; too hot and the gujiyas will brown too fast on the outside while remaining undercooked inside.
- These pastries can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container, making them ideal for festive preparations.
- Adjust sugar quantity as per taste or dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: gujiya, coconut pastries, Indian dessert, deep fried pastries, festive sweets, traditional Indian sweet
