Cashew Barfi

Place raw cashews in a food processor or blender and grind them to a fine, smooth powder, taking care not to over-process into a paste.

Combine sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely to form a clear syrup.

Continue cooking the sugar syrup without stirring until it reaches a one-string consistency, which occurs when a small amount of syrup pulled between your thumb and forefinger forms a single thread.

Reduce the heat to low and gradually add the ground cashew powder to the sugar syrup, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming.

Cook the cashew and syrup mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens significantly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Remove the pan from heat and stir in ground cardamom and a splash of rose water, mixing thoroughly to incorporate the aromatics evenly.

Pour the mixture onto a greased tray or parchment-lined dish, spreading it evenly to a thickness of about half an inch using a greased spatula or the back of a spoon.

Allow the barfi to cool and set completely at room temperature, then cut into diamond or square-shaped portions and optionally garnish with silver leaf or crushed pistachios before serving.