11 Oven-Baked Indian Sweets Secrets Revealed

2. Use mawa cake know-how for rich milk-based bakes

Mawa—or khoya—brings a deep, caramelized milk note that bakers love for dense, rich bakes. In many Goan bakeries you’ll find mawa cake, which uses reduced milk solids for a moist crumb and a long shelf life. For home ovens, fold grated mawa into a standard batter and bake at a slightly lower temperature than usual, around 325–350°F (160–175°C), to protect the milk solids from scorching while allowing the interior to stay tender. Stir- or fold-in small chopped dry fruits and a few strands of saffron for traditional flavor. If you’re adapting a stove-top pedha or barfi recipe, think of the oven as a gentle dry-heat finish: spread the mixture in a lined pan and bake until it firms but still yields slightly when pressed. Cooling at room temperature and then refrigerating helps the flavors settle and produces cleaner cuts for gifting. This approach uses familiar ingredients with oven-friendly timing to replicate that richly milky profile.