Gujiya Peda (Indian Almond Fudge With Coconut Pistachio Raisin Swirls)

Make the almond peda.

1. In a bowl, add the almond flour, powdered sugar, cardamom, and salt, and mix really well. Press and mix to break down any lumps, and set aside
2. Then, make the custard. In a small saucepan, add the oat milk, saffron strands, sugar, and corn starch, and mix really well. Once it has been mixed, turn the stove to medium heat, and cook until the mixture starts to boil and thicken evenly.
3. Mix really well for a few seconds, and switch off the heat. Let this mixture cool down to thicken a bit more for 5 minutes or so. In the meantime, you can prep the coconut filling.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of the cooled custard to the almond flour bowl, and press and mix really well until you get a dough. Put this dough into the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes. You should have about a tablespoon of the custard remaining in the pan. Set that aside.

Make the coconut filling.

1. Add the pistachios and the green cardamom pod to a food processor, and pulse until the pistachios are coarse-mealed. Then, add the coconut and the raisins and pulse for a minute or longer, until the raisins have broken down completely and you have a crumble-type mixture. It won't be a dough; it will be more like fat sands mixture.
2. Transfer the coconut mixture to the pan with the remaining tablespoon or so of custard, and mix really well until this mixture gets sticky and is easily pliable. (If too dry, add in a teaspoon of milk). You can put this in the fridge, as well. for 5 minutes or so.

Assemble the gujiya peda.

1. Take the almond flour dough out of the fridge, and place it between 2 parchment sheets. Roll out the dough into somewhat of a rectangle. You want to keep the rectangle not more than 5 inches wide, so keep rolling for the length, but keep the width around 5 inches or less and it’s about 1/4” thick or even slightly less.
2. Once the almond flour is spread out to about 10 to 11 inches by 5 to 5.5 inches, you can even out the edges to make it a complete rectangle.
3. Spread the coconut filling by sprinkling it on, or you can even out the coconut filling into a dough and press it into a somewhat rectangle and then put that on the almond flour peda dough. Keep it at least 1/2” from all the sides.
4. Using parchment on one side, roll this up. You can either roll it up like a cinnamon roll on the long side and then slice it with a really sharp knife, or you can slice the dough into 1/2” strips, like ribbons, and then roll each one of them. I find this method easier for this dough, otherwise it can get squished when you slice it, and you won't get round peda, but either which way works. You can just shape those peda later on after you have sliced them using the cinnamon roll method.
5. Garnish the peda with shredded coconut or chopped pistachio. This is optional. Store on the counter for the day and refrigerate in a closed container for upto 5 days.