Rasmalai

Rasmalai  is an Indian dessert sweet made from Panner (or Indian cottage cheese) with its origins from eastern part of India. This is a milk based recipe and it is made from full fat milk. First, panner dumplings are cooked in sugar syrup and later soaked in flavored milk. 

I have always enjoyed making this dessert and make it often for get together or any festive occasions. This is a divine and a celebrating recipe. It is also served in marriages or any auspicious functions. 

Ingredients

For making panner (cheese) 

2 ltr Full fat milk (vitamin D)

1 cup White vinegar

For sugar syrup

1 ltr Water

2 cups sugar (approx)

For flavored milk

1 ltr full fat milk

1/2 cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Few strands of saffron

Method

Making panner

• Boil milk in a pot. When it starts to boil , add white vinegar and turn off heat

• The milk solids starts floating at the top. Using a cheese cloth drain excess water. Wash cheese once with cold water and again squeeze out excess water

• Now, knead the cheese and divide it into equal portions about 1 inch or 2 inches. Roll each portion into balls. Wet your hands while rolling cheese balls to avoid cracks

Making syrup

• While rolling cheese balls, boil water and sugar in a pressure cooker

• Add the cheese balls in sugar syrup. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles (if you dont have a pressure cooker, then use a pot and cover it with a lid. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes)

Making flavored milk

• When rolling cheese balls, also boil milk in a pot stirring often
• Add sugar and cardamom powder
• When milk starts to boil, turn heat to medium-low heat

Making panner disks (Final stage in making rasmalai)

• After pressure cooker has cooled, using a spoon and a laddle, squeeze sugar syrup from each paneer and put it in milk

• The add saffron strands to milk. Pistachos and almonds can also be added
• Refrigerate for atleast 2 hours
• Serve chilled

Tip --

• While kneading dough, some recipes also add maida or all purpose flour for consistency