Chocolate Coconut Sandesh 

May Maa Durga empower you and your family with her nine swaroopa of Name, Fame, Health, Wealth, Happiness, Humanity, Education, Bhakti & Shakti. Happy Navratras. And have a blessed Durga Puja.

Chocolate coconut sandesh. A sweet made of soft and smooth coconut mixture and crisp chocolate.Bengali’s love sweets and Durga Puja is the perfect time for sweets. So spread happiness with this delicious and easy to make sweet recipe.

Durga Puja is the one of the most famous festival celebrated in West Bengal  in honor of Goddess Durga during the period of Navaratri
This festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon. Mahishasura.  Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil.

In Bengal, Goddess Durga is worshipped as Durgotinashini, the destroyer of evil and the protector of her devotees.
Durga Puja or Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu Goddess Devi Durga.

Durga Puja is celebrated every year in the Hindu month of Ashwin (September-October) and commemorates Prince Rama’s invocation of the goddess before going to war with the demon king Ravana.
This autumnal ritual was different from the conventional Durga Puja, which is usually celebrated in the springtime.

So, this Puja is also known as Akal-bodhan or out-of-season  worship. Thus goes the story of Lord Rama, who first worshipped the Mahishasura Mardini or the slayer of the buffalo-demon, by offering 108 blue lotuses and lighting 108 lamps, at this time of the year.

In this festival serve your guests a different and delicious sweet. Chocolate coconut sandesh. I have mixed coconut with kid’s favourite chocolate to make a lip-smacking sweet.

Coconuts are one of the wonder foods on earth that have multiple health benefits.
Coconut tree was called Kalpa vriksha in Sanskrit. The tree that supplies all that is needed to live.In ancient India, the coconut palm has been recognized as a top immune booster, antifungal, antibiotic, antiviral and antibacterial remedy for thousands of years all over the world.

In India one of the most common offerings in a temple is coconut. Coconut plays a vital role in all puja rituals. The coconut is a satvic fruit. It is sacred, pure, clean, and health giving, endowed with several properties.

Enjoy this auspicious occasion with this delicious chocolate coconut sandesh.

Recipe 

Shredded coconut – 1 cup

Paneer/cottage cheese – 1 cup

Sugar – 1/4 cup or to taste

Cardamom powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Dark chocolate – as require. I have used 1/2 morde chocolate bar

Ghee/clarified butter or butter for greasing the moulds.

Method 

Mix paneer/cottage cheese, coconut and sugar. Add less sugar, taste after mixing and add more if require. Mix well with you finger tips. Make a smooth mixture.

Heat a nonstick or heavy bottom pan. Cook the coconut mixture on low flame. Keep stirring. Cook until the mixture dried up. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool down. Make it smooth again. You can use your grinder or blender to make it smooth. I have ground it.

We have to set it in moulds. You can use any moulds whatever you have. I have used small chocolate moulds for bite sized sandesh and some muffins moulds for large size.

Melt the chocolate in double boiler or in microwave. Microwave for 30-40 second on high power stir if require microwave some more seconds. Stir with a spoon to check. It shouldn’t be burn. After melting stir it well.

Now take the greased moulds. Pour 1 teaspoon coconut paneer/cottage cheese mixture. Set and level with a spoon or your finger tips. Press gently. Pour 1 teaspoon melted chocolate over it. Make it flat and even with a spoon.

Keep the moulds in refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
Demould on a plate. Serve chilled. Always keep the remaining sweets in refrigerator. Chocolate will melt if you keep it in room temperature.

Coconut paneer/cottage cheese mixture have a soft smooth texture and chocolate is crisp.
Enjoy the soft and crunchy taste.