Lavender Peda (Milk Fudge) ..

The Journey

The journey that led to this recipe is the happy confluence of two different experiences. The first one starts with an amazing person I got to know after I met my awesome other half..my sister in law..She is the rock of our family and my initial foray into cooking started with her gift of a traditional Tam Bram Cookbook.  In my initial years as a novice in the kitchen, I was always ears for quick, fool proof recipes. She shared this amazing recipe for a quick and easy Peda (or Milk fudge). I fell in love with this recipe for the ease and many years later realized the versatility. I made this recipe for years with different dried fruit and nut toppings and it was my "Go To, Never Fails to please the crowd" kinda recipe. 

Then one day, the travel Gods smiled down on me and I made a trip with my friend to Maui in Hawaii. In our attempt to free ourselves from the kids and escape from the ordinary, we decided to check out a lavender farm called the Ali'i Kula Lavender farm. I thought I died and went to heaven when I got there.  Until that visit, I  believed that lavender belongs in a talcum powder tin made by Yardley or a potpourri sack with my clothes ! After a two hour tour, many samples of lavender jellies, honey, syrups and cookies, I turned into a die hard fan of lavender. I was itching to get back to St.Louis and plant them in my front yard..different kinds..the French, English and I was hungry for recipes to put these to use.  I made this peda recipe for a religious gathering of friends at home and decided to add a lavender twist to this. If you don't grow your lavender (I strongly encourage you to), you can easily find it in the spice isle of your grocery or make this your excuse to plan the trip to the lavender farm in Maui and be inspired.. :)

Ingredients (makes about 20 pedas)

2 cups of Non fat dry milk a.k.a Milk Powder. I use Carnation brand in the US.
14 oz ( 1 can) of Sweetened Condensed milk - low fat or regular.
1 stick unsalted butter.
1/2 tsp of ground cardamom powder.
1 pinch of saffron.
4 tablespoons lavender flower tips for the garnish.
1/4 tsp of liquid purple food color - if you really want the lavender effect. You can omit this if you are an anti food color kinda person.

Now let's get cooking..

Microwave the butter stick in a wide bowl for a minute.












Add the milk powder and condensed milk and mix them all gently. Just fold everything.

Now microwave the whole mixture for 3 minutes and every other minute take it out mix it gently and evenly. 

Add the ground cardamom powder, lavender extract and saffron into it. If this is your first venture into adding lavender for your recipes, you can skip the lavender extract and just stick to the garnish of lavender flowers alone.

Add the purple food color. Stir vigorously to the base to make a lavender color peda base.

Microwave for 3 more minutes.

The peda base is now ready..It is really that simple.

Gently remove the lavender flowers from the stems. If you grow fresh lavender at home, squeeze the buds gently before you garnish so the essential oils are released from the lavender. You can do this while the peda is cooking in the microwave. 

Grease your hands with melted butter. 

Make small balls out of the fudge mixture using a cookie dough scoop. The scoop is not necessary, but helps to get these balls the same size. 

Roll the fudge mixture with your palms using a circular motion. 

Then once you have a ball, flatten the ball into a small patty. The hotter the base, the smoother the patty. So hurry with the balls!

Continue until all the peda mixture is rolled into patties. 

Garnish the peda with lavender. Press down gently while it is still hot so it does not fall off when cooled. You can garnish with nuts as well, but I chose to keep it simple with the lavender. I have tried almond slivers as leaves and they look spectacular with the lavender in the middle. 

Roll the remaining pedas and garnish all the pedas with lavender buds.  


Your kitchen by now probably smells like a Spa!

Your awesome, deliciously fragrant Lavender pedas are ready for you to dazzle your senses and your guests!






The good in this recipe

Lavender - Lavender is an herb. The flower and the oil of lavender are used to make medicine.Lavender is used for restlessness, insomnia, nervousness, and depression. It is also used for a variety of digestive complaints including meteorism (abdominal swelling from gas in the intestinal or peritoneal cavity), loss of appetite, nausea, intestinal gas, and upset stomach. Some people use lavender for painful conditions including migraine headaches, toothaches, sprains, nerve pain, sores, and joint pain.Lavender is applied to the skin to repel mosquitoes and other insects.Some people add lavender to bathwater to treat circulation disorders and improve mental well being.By inhalation, lavender is used as aromatherapy for insomnia, pain, and agitation related to dementia.