Ladoo is a traditional confection distributed on such occasions as a wedding, or birth of a child, or offered as a treat with langar during kirtan programs, rain sabahee kirtan, or kirtan smagams (get togethers).
Naam Ladoo a spiritual confection, is a ladoo prepared with naam while doing naam jap with the tongue or breath, or naam simran, engaging the mind in naam.
Naam Jap: Contemplate the name of God by reciting, gurmanter or mool manter, and listening to gurbani kirtan continually while preparing naam ladoo.
Makes 120 Naam Ladoo 1" in diameter
View this recipe with step-by-step illustrations.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb or 2 cups softened butter (4 cubes)
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped almonds (badam)
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered), plus about 2 cups for icing
- 2 tsp vanilla powder (or extract - powder is alcohol free)
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (maida)
- Naam - Gurmanter - Waheguru - Name of God
Preparation:
- Measure all ingredients. Naam jap.
- Grind almonds in a food processor or blender until finely chopped. Naam jap.
- Cream together butter, and finely chopped almonds, Add sugar, and vanilla. Naam jap.
- Add flour a cup at time. Naam jap.
Knead dough by hand until it holds together easily coming away clean from sides of mixing bowl. Dough should not be sticky or crumbly, and should easily form a ball. If dough becomes crumbly, correct by adding a tablespoon or so of butter. - Lightly grease baking sheets with butter. Naam jap.
Recipe uses two standard size 12" x 18" baking sheets or four 12" round pans. - Score or divide dough into halves or quarters in mixing bowl (one portion for each baking sheet). Naam jap.
Pinch away dough between thumb, index, and middle fingers. Roll dough to form balls 1/2" - 1" in diameter, then place on baking sheets. - When half the baking sheets have been filled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill the remaining baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 17 - 20 minutes. Naam jap.
- As soon as ladoo begin to show signs of turning golden brown remove from the oven. Naam jap.
Though delicious when baked to a crisp, a slightly underdone ladoo is tenderly moist, and tastes divine. - To ice, place 2 cups of confectioners' sugar into a plastic Zip-loc bag. (Alternately use a paper bag, or bowl). Naam jap.
Using the right hand delicately place 5 - 6 warm ladoo in bag and shake with the left hand gently. Remove sugar coated ladoo with right hand and place in empty mixing bowl. Sugar will melt and form an icing on the warm ladoo. Repeat the entire process until all naam ladoo have been coated twice in order to properly ice. - Bless the ladoo with bhog, ardaas, a prayer to imbibe naam ladoo with the taste of naam. Naam jap.
Remove five naam laddo and perform ardaas. Touch each naam ladoo with kirpan at the appropriate time during ardaas. Return naam laddo to main bowl. Naam laddo are ready to serve.
