No-Sugar Chamcham Recipe
Indulge in this quick, no-sugar Bread Chamcham—a melt-in-the-mouth Indian dessert perfect for festivals like Holi or Ramadan. Made with fresh bread, thickened milk, and a honey-sweetened paneer stuffing, this healthy treat takes just 10 minutes to prepare. It’s guilt-free, storable for a week, and so delicious your guests won’t believe it’s homemade!
Ingredients
- full-fat milk 1 liter
- vanilla custard powder (or milk powder) 2 tbsp
- fresh paneer (crumbled) 100 g
- mixed dry fruits (cashews, almonds, pistachios, chironji—finely chopped, no raisins) 2 tbsp
- desiccated coconut (optional) 1 tbsp
- honey (adjust to taste) 1 tbsp
- fresh white bread (crusts removed) 10-12 slices
- saffron strands (optional, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk) 1 pinch
- ghee (for shaping) 1 tsp
- Garnish: chopped nuts (saffron, or edible silver foil)
Instructions
- Thicken Milk: Boil 1 liter milk in a pan. Mix 2 tbsp custard powder with ¼ cup cold milk, stir into boiling milk, and cook 4-5 minutes until slightly thick. Cool to room temperature.
- Make Stuffing: Mix crumbled paneer with 1 tbsp dry fruits, 1 tbsp coconut, and a pinch of saffron (optional). Add 1 tbsp milk to form a thick paste. Shape into 10-12 small balls with ghee-coated hands.
- Prep Bread: Trim crusts off bread slices.
- Assemble: Stir 1 tbsp honey into cooled milk. Dip a bread slice in milk for 2-3 seconds, place a stuffing ball in the center, fold bread around it, and shape into a ball or oval. Repeat for all.
- Garnish & Chill: Top with nuts, saffron, or silver foil. Refrigerate 30 minutes (optional) and serve.
Recipe video
Notes
- Use fresh bread for best texture; dip lightly to avoid sogginess.
- If stuffing is too wet, add more coconut; if dry, add a drop of milk.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.