Dry Fruit and Coconut Fudge

During Ganesh Chaturthi festivities last year, I wanted to make a different kind of prasad. It has the usual prasad ingredients, coconut, dryfruits, milk and sugar but with the addition of chocolate to it - this dry fruit and coconut fudge. Everyone I offered it to, loved it and I hope Ganeshji did as well!

Ingredients:

1.5 cups desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut (for garnish)
1 cup almonds and cashew nuts
1/2 cup raisins
500 grams condensed milk
500 grams chocolate, milk or dark as per preference
60 grams salted butter

Line a 9x9 pan with foil and keep aside.

Heat a thick bottomed pan, put the almonds and cashew nuts in it and roast on low heat for 4-6 minutes. Keep stirring while roasting. The nuts will have a few darker spots on them. Chop them into halves or thirds. Keep aside. Do NOT roast the raisins.

Next put the coconut in it and sauté while continuously stirring it. It will start to become dark. Remove from heat and keep aside in a different plate.

In the same thick bottomed pan, on low heat, add the butter and condensed milk. When they are mixed together add the chopped chocolate and on very low heat, stir till all the chocolate has melted.

Remove from heat and add the chopped nuts, raisins and coconut. Pour this mix into the foil lined pan and smooth on top. Sprinkle the coconut on top evenly. Put the tray into the freezer till it sets. Cut into 1.5 inch square pieces and serve!