Rasmalai Recipe

Rasmalai | Rossomalai | Rosh molai, the popular dessert from Bengal, India, is a heavenly treat that is sure to tantalize your taste buds! Here’s an easy rasmalai recipe with all the tips and tricks to make soft rasmalai at home!

Bengali sweets are one of the most loved Indian sweets. Some of my favorites are rasgulla, sandesh, mishti doi, bhapa doi, patishapta (similar to Goan alle belle, coconut pancakes) and much more. I have a big sweet-tooth and milk-based desserts are my weakness!

So let’s get into all the details to make soft rasmalai at home.

What is rasmalai?
Ingredients needed to make this classic Bengali sweet
How to prepare rasmalai?
Easy, alternative ways to make rasmalai
Tips to make the best rasmalai at home
Enjoyed this rasmalai recipe? Then you may also like these Indian sweet recipes
How to make soft rasmalai at home – Step by step instructions
Rasmalai Recipe | How To Make Rasmalai

What is rasmalai?

Rasmalai is basically soft, spongy cottage cheese cakes doused in sweetened, thickened milk infused with exotic flavors of cardamom and saffron!

Ingredients needed to make this classic Bengali sweet

Indian sweet rasmalai calls for few ingredients i.e. milk, lemon juice/white vinegar/yogurt (to curdle the milk), sugar and flavorings like saffron, cardamom, rose water along with some nuts for texture and garnish.

Then there is also a Pakistani version of rasmalai with eggs and milk powder. However, the Bengali rasmalai recipe sticks to the ingredients I have mentioned above and does not use eggs traditionally.

I’ve also come across recipes of rasmalai with ricotta cheese, however, I’ve yet to try that. I’m sure that tastes great as well!

How to prepare rasmalai?

I’ve made rasgullas successfully a couple of times earlier, so I wasn’t really apprehensive about making rasmalai.

To make rasmalai you just need to take it a step further and prepare the sweetened milk which is basically a no-brainer! All you have to do is simmer the milk until it reduces by 75 % of its volume, then sweeten and flavor it. That’s about it!

You can also make angoori rasmalai with this same recipe. Simply make smaller sized chenna balls, a little smaller than the size of a grape, as they will expand on cooking. Angoor means grapes in Hindi, and that’s the size angoori rasmalai should be. A nice bite-sized dessert 🙂

Now let’s get to the point, I’ll be talking in the context of rasgulla because that is basically what the malai of rasmalai is! It made me realize I should have shared a post on rasgulla first, that would have made things easier, but nevertheless, I’ll add all the important tips here.

To sum it all up, this is a gist of the entire procedure of making rasgulla

Boiling the milk
Curdling the milk
Straining the whey
Hanging the chenna (paneer)
Kneading the chenna (paneer)
Forming paneer balls
Making the sugar syrup
And finally, cooking the paneer balls in boiling sugar syrup.

Sounds easy right? But trust me a lot of people fail at the last part i.e boiling or the cooking of the rasgulla. And they do not know why! So sit back with your favorite beverage, and enjoy the rest of the post as I try to cover up as much as possible.

Rasmalai | Rasmalai Recipe | Kesar Rasmalai - 2

Easy, alternative ways to make rasmalai

Now, if you don’t like sticking to the traditional recipe, or have tried making rasmalai earlier only to have disastrous results and don’t feel like venturing to make rasmalai from scratch again, here are some easy alternatives for you.

How to make rasmalai from rasgulla – Make your work easier by using store-bought rasgullas or the ones that come in cans. Squeeze out all the sugar syrup and dunk them in the ‘ras’ to absorb all that sweet, flavored milk, thereby transforming the plain rasgullas to rasmalai. You can also use condensed milk along with regular milk to make the ras, this will make the ras richer. So adjust the sugar, and keep in mind, condensed milk is thick, so do not cook the milk for a long time, as we do not want the ‘ras’ to thicken too much.
Bread Rasmalai – If you thought making rasmalai from canned rasgulla was relatively easier, then this bread rasmalai is a breeze too! Simply cut out rounds of white sandwich bread using a cookie cutter, and pour the ras over the bread just before serving. Easy, right? The spongy bread mimics the texture of the traditional ‘malai’ of rasmalai. So it is a great alternative to make rasmalai.
Rasmalai ready mix – Honestly, I still haven’t tried ready mix packets to make rasmalai. Most of these come with instructions on the back of the pack, so it should be pretty easy to follow.

There are ways to make quick rasmalai, but if you ask me, I will still suggest making rasmalai from scratch if you really want to enjoy it in the best form. I do not recommend making rasmalai with readymade paneer.

To make any of these Bengali sweet recipes with milk like rasgulla or rasmalai, you need fresh, soft chenna aka paneer. So don’t even waste your time and energy making this sweet from readymade paneer, make some delicious curry with that paneer instead.

Make the chenna at home, it hardly needs much effort and the results are highly rewarding 🙂

I know rasgullas are difficult to tame, but I guess the rasgulla Gods may have been super kind to me! Jokes apart I did my study well before attempting these!

I did badger my Bengali friend, Ujjaini too with my queries, and she was kind enough to oblige 🙂

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Tips to make the best rasmalai at home

Choosing the correct type of milk

Good quality cow’s milk is what my friend, Ujjaini suggests. Preferably full cream, because indirectly it will make good quality paneer. Buffalos milk should be avoided, you can use that for the preparation of the ras aka masala doodh instead.

The right time to add lemon juice or vinegar

Bring the milk to a boil, then switch off the heat and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Now is the time to add vinegar or lemon juice. Though here’s another tip, Ujjaini suggests using lemon juice for a better end result. Some people also dilute the lemon juice or vinegar, I’ve never done that and it has not affected the rasgulla in any way.

Adding vinegar or lemon juice to boiling milk will result in hard, chewier rasgullas , so avoid it.

Once you see the greenish whey separate completely, drain it as soon as possible. You do not want to let the curdled milk sit that way, which can also result in hard and chewy rasgullas.

Make sure you give the chenna a good wash under running water to get rid of the lemon juice/vinegar taste.

Straining the prepared chenna (paneer)

I usually keep the paneer for around 30 mins to drain. You should not see any more water droplets falling. Once you open the assembly, the paneer should have formed a ball and it should be slightly dry, crumbly plus you should feel some moisture. It shouldn’t be pasty. If it is too pasty, it needs to be drained for a longer time. Please refer to pics in the step by step instructions.

Kneading the chenna

This is one of the most critical steps which can result in either perfect rasgullas or it can go haywire and you will end up with disastrous results.
You have to knead until you get a smooth, non-sticky dough, neither too hard nor too soft, that just about begins to ooze out the fat. Do not overwork the dough. This easily takes around 8-10 mins.
Use the heel of your palm and fingertips to knead the dough by dragging the chenna in a forward motion, then gather the chenna and keep doing this until you reach the smooth dough stage.
Alternatively, you can transfer the chenna in the blender and pulse it for 10-15 seconds, for 5 to 6 times or until it forms a dough ball. Then transfer to a plate and knead for another minute or two.

Making crack free balls

Squeeze and press a portion of the dough in your palm to make it compact. Then start rolling it using both your palms to form a smooth, round ball. Little cracks are allowable, but if it is too much, knead the chenna for few more minutes. If you find the dough too dry, sprinkle few drops of water and knead.

The apparatus to cook the rasgullas

The pot has to be big enough to accommodate the rasgullas. I like to use a wide pot with a see-through lid to keep a watch on the rasgullas.
If the pot is overcrowded, the rasgullas will lose their round shape and they won’t have room to expand and thus become flat. This doesn’t matter much in terms of shape for rasmalai, but it is a good practice to judge the number of rasgullas that would go in a pot and cook in batches if required.

The consistency of sugar syrup

You may need to double or triple the sugar syrup depending upon the size of your pot or pan, always remember that the syrup must be filled to at least 3/4th of the vessel.
For rasgulla, I usually follow a 1: 2:: sugar: water ratio, but for rasmalai, I’ve followed a 1:4 :: sugar: water ratio to cook the paneer balls, as later they are going to be dunked in the sweetened milk i.e ras which is sweet enough.

Cooking rasgullas

This is a critical step to make sure you have perfect rasgullas.

It has to do with the temperature of the sugar syrup. You want the syrup to be boiling in full swing when you put the rasgullas in. Rasgullas cook in foam.

Another important tip shared by Ujjaini is to avoid opening the lid or stirring or meddling with the rasgullas once you put them in the pan to cook. Cover and let them cook undisturbed for around 15 minutes. Then let them cool down for about 30 minutes.

Opening the lid can cause the rasgullas to shrink, as they come in contact with air.

You can also use a pressure cooker to cook rasgullas, though I’ve never tried cooking them that way. I love watching them fluff up and expand through the see-through lid. I never cease to do a little happy dance when that happens 😀

Cook rasgullas in two batches if you have to, as they need space to expand. The quantity of sugar syrup will reduce, so simply add some more water and bring it to a boil again before putting the other batch in.

The consistency of milk for ‘ras’

I recommend reducing the milk to 75 % of its original quantity. You do not want to make it thick like rabri , because that will inhibit the paneer balls from absorbing any ‘ras’.

Important: A simple test for beginners attempting rasgullas/rasmalai

Do a small test! Drop one paneer ball in the boiling sugar syrup, if it cooks and doubles up without breaking or scattering in the syrup, you are good to go with the rest of the batch!

Do remember to keep the other paneer balls covered with a clean and damp kitchen napkin.

Why did my rasgulla still scatter in the syrup?

If you did not test for a single rasgulla and put the whole batch in, or it failed in the single test; The answer to that is in k neading the chenna mentioned above, if there was a lot of moisture in the paneer, chances are you may have ended up with a super soft moist dough, with not much to bind it, it scattered in the syrup. Pay very close attention to the final dough. Too moist and it will scatter, too dry and that will result in a dry rasgulla.

If you are attempting these for the first time, you can add about 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to the chenna and knead the dough. This will absorb excess moisture plus help in binding the dough. I, however, do not use cornstarch.

This is pretty much it about rasgullas, once they have cooked and doubled in the sugar syrup, you can let them chill before serving. But for rasmalai, you need to squeeze out all the sugar syrup before putting them in the sweetened milk, which is why it is good to cook them in light sugar syrup.

Rasmalai | Rasmalai Recipe | Kesar Rasmalai - 4

As I had promised in my eggless rasmalai cake post, I would be sharing an easy rasmalai recipe, so here it is!

I hope you guys found all the tips and tricks to make perfectly, soft and spongy rasgulla or rasmalai handy. I’d love to know if there are other specific things you follow if you have been making them successfully for a long time.

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Below is a detailed step by step rasmalai recipe. Do give this wonderful Indian cheese dessert a go!

Rasmalai | Rasmalai Recipe | Kesar Rasmalai - 6

Instant shahi rabri
Kalakand
Instant Mango Shrikhand
No-cook Kulfi
Faluda
Kesar peda
Chocolate peda
Badam pista burfi

How to make soft rasmalai at home – Step by step instructions

For the ‘Ras’

Step 1: Reduce the milk

Heat 4 cups of full-fat milk in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, bring the milk to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook until it reduces to at least 75 % i.e. 3 cups approx.

Step 2: Prepare saffron-infused milk

While the milk is reducing, take a tablespoon of the hot milk from the pan and add it to a bowl containing the saffron. Mix it well, to extract its flavor and color into the milk. Set the bowl aside while the milk continues to cook.

Step 3: Add sugar to reduced milk

Once the milk has reduced to 75%, add 1/2 cup sugar, mix to dissolve the sugar.

Step 4: Add saffron-infused milk, nuts, food color, and cardamom

Add the saffron milk, 2 tablespoons each of sliced almonds and pistachios, 3-4 drops of food color, and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom, cook another minute. Then switch off the heat and set the pan aside to cool down.

Add saffron milk, nuts, food color, and cardamom - 10

For the light sugar syrup

Step 1: Add water and sugar in a pan

Add 6 cups of water and 1.5 cups of sugar in a wide mouth pan, mix well to dissolve the sugar completely. Bring to a rolling boil.

For the paneer/chenna balls

Step 1: Boil milk

Bring 1.5 liters of full-fat milk to boil in heavy-bottomed pot/pan. Stir in between to avoid the milk from burning or sticking at the bottom of the vessel.

Step 2: Lemon juice or vinegar

Once the milk boils, switch off the heat and let it stand for about 5 minutes. Now add vinegar/ lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with each addition, until the milk splits and you see the greenish whey. I needed about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Step 3: Strain the split milk

Line a strainer with muslin cloth over a big bowl, drain the split milk, collect the whey. You can use this whey for kneading dough for bread’s/ chapatis or even make soup. Gather the edges of the muslin cloth, squeeze out the water ( exercise precaution as it will be very hot ). Wash the chenna well under running water to get rid of the vinegar or lemon juice smell.

Step 4: Drain the liquid

4.Make a knot/ or secure with a thread /rubber band and hang it for about 30 minutes. Do not let it dry completely, let it retain little moisture.

Step 5: Transfer fresh paneer to a bowl or plate

After 30 minutes, open the assembly, transfer it to a bowl, since it is fresh you can easily crumble the paneer with your hands. Set aside. (This yielded me 230 grams of paneer).

Step 6: Knead the chenna

Knead the chenna with the heel of your palm and fingertips by dragging in a forward motion until it is smooth. Scoop the chenna again and keep kneading with the heel of your palm until you feel the chenna starting to give out some grease/fat and it turns into a smooth and soft dough. You should be able to make a smooth ball with minimal cracks if it has been kneaded well. This will take around 10 minutes for the dough to come together. Alternatively, you can pulse the chenna 5-6 times in the mixer or food processor, until it forms a soft dough when you press the chenna with your hands. You do not want to do overdo the pulsing part.

Step 7: Make the chenna balls

Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. Roll out each in a smooth ball between your palms then flatten them gently. Set aside on a plate.

Prepare the rest in the same way.

Cooking the rasmalai balls

Step 1: Drop the balls in the boiling sugar syrup

Drop the prepared flattened balls, one at a time. Cover with the lid and let it cook on medium-high heat for 15 minutes until it absorbs the sugar syrup and doubles up in size. Remember the sugar syrup must be boiling when you put them in.

Step 2: Set the pan aside to cool down

Remove the pan from heat, leave it aside to cool down completely, at least 30 – 45 minutes. Do not touch the rasgullas, as they will be very soft at this stage. Let them stabilize.

Step 3: Test

I usually don’t check, because I can tell if they are done. I let them sit undisturbed for 30 – 45 minutes without opening the lid. To check if they are done, drop one rasgulla in a glass filled with clean water. If it sinks, it is done. If it floats, it needs to be cooked further.

They will come back to their original shape even after squeezing out the water.

The chenna balls come back to their original shape even after squeezing out the water. - 25

Assembling Rasmalai

Step 1: Squeeze out the excess sugar syrup

Squeeze out the excess syrup from the rasgulla, with the help of a slotted spoon, or simply squeeze it out pressing it between your clean palms.

Step 2: Transfer it to the sweetened milk

Immediately transfer it to the ras, prepared earlier, which should have cooled down by now. Refrigerate the rasmalai for 3-4 hours or until you are ready to serve. The balls will soak up all the sweetness and aroma of the milk, best served chilled! Enjoy

Note

You can skip the saffron to make a regular rasmalai flavored with cardamom. You can add some rose essence instead.

A piece of kesar rasmalai on a spoon - 28

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Rasmalai Recipe | How To Make Rasmalai

Ingredients1x2x3x

For the ‘ras’- sweetened milk

4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar, adjust as per desired sweetness
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 tablespoons sliced pistachios
A fat pinch of saffron strands
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
yellow food color optional

For the light sugar syrup

1.5 cups sugar
6 cups water

For the paneer

1.5 liters whole milk, preferably cow’s milk
2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar/lemon juice, or as required

For garnishing

Dried rose petals, as required
Few saffron strands
1 tablespoon sliced nuts