Cashew milk

I saw this lovely recipe for an East Indian desert using cashewnuts and milk, which looked like marzipan, but was softer, and wanted to try it out. Nothing about it seemed difficult, and I jumped into it with my normal enthusiasm. Unfortunately, I didn't know what "softball stage" meant and never thought to ask (I now know that if you put a blob in water, it should solidify), so I ended up with something that tasted good, but just didn't hold any form.
I thought I would have to bribe the kids into eating it, but at the last moment, remembered the "badam milk" that my mother makes. So I added the cashew paste to milk, and whisked it in the blender. The result was amazing!

500 ml full fat milk
200 gms sugar
50 gms cashewnut powder (cashew whirled in the mixie to get a powder)
1 tsp butter
Few drops of vanilla essence
 

Method

Boil the milk until reduced to half
Add sugar and cook until the mix thickens
Add the cashewnut powder and mix well
Cook until softball stage, add the butter, essence and mix well and let it cool.

When ready to serve, put 2 tbsp of the paste in 1 glass milk and whisk well.

Serve chilled.