Handesh – Bangladeshi rice flour and date molasses cakes

Name: Handesh – Bangladeshi rice flour and date molasses cakes
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 52 min
Total time: 4 h 22 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Bangladesh
Ingredients: 9 oz date molasse; 1 ⅔ cups + 1 tsp warm water; 9 oz rice flour; 5 oz flour; ¼ tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp ground cardomom

A weekend Bangladesh dessert. Ready in about 4 hours 22 minutes. Difficulty: more effort.

1 hr 30 minPrep (about)
2 hr 52 minCook (about)
4 hr 22 minTotal time
4Servings
More effortDifficulty

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Ingredients

How many people?

− 6 people +

Changed from 4 to 6 people · Back to 4

13 oz date molasse
2 ½ cups warm water
13 oz rice flour
8 oz flour
½ tsp ground cardomom

Spices & seasonings (1): ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cinnamon

How to make it

Steps in our own plain words.

Add the molasses to a big mixing bowl plus begin by pouring 1 ¾ cups + 2 tbsp of water.
Do it to start with.
Whisk.
Your texture of Bangladeshi molasses varies from thick syrup to slightly set.
If the set is very syrupy you will only require –2 cups of water.
Pour in the flours and spices.
Whisk for 3–5 min, until you have a smooth batter.
Check for lumps, as they prevent your handesh from rising plus will cause them to split.
Cover your batter and rest for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, well whisk the batter till smooth, as your rice flour will have settled at bottom of the bowl.
Your batter should have thick consistency, yet remain loose enough.
Pour – similar.
Do it to thick pancake or waffle batter.
It should form ribbons as you drag your whisk though it.
Take a cast-iron korai or wok.
Add enough oil to half-fill your pan, or enough to deep-fry.
Turn the heat to high.
When the oil is hot turn the heat down to low–medium.
Drop in teaspoon of batter to test your oil – if it rises slowly to your surface the oil is ready.
Pour batter in a quick steady stream in your centre of your pan, preferably using a pyrex jug using a pouring spout (Around 3 tbsp of batter for each cake).
It should rise to the surface in around 15–20 seconds and slowly puff up.
If it rises too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.
Cook for 45 seconds, until the underside is golden.
Turn over.
Heat for a further 30–45 seconds, till golden, make sure.
Do it to not let excess batter drip in your pan as this may prevent your cakes from rising plus always fry one at a time.
If your batter splits.
Keep going while frying, whisk.
Do it in 3 tablespoons of flour to the mix and try again.
Be creating handesh which are around the size of a digestive biscuit.
Use a slotted spoon to remove your handesh.
Place on kitchen towel using frilled edge facing down.
Keep going while you continue frying the reaming batter.
This helps retain your shape of the cakes.
Wait until cool.
Place in an airtight container overnight plus in your fridge for up to a week.
Reheat in a warm oven for some min to refresh or on tawa or frying pan over very low heat.
Turn a few times.