Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Rasmalai


Friends,

It looks like I need a bit to warm up after this long period of hibernation!!!!
Well, I din't stop cooking or feeding my baby, I wasn't trying anything new and honestly was lazy to draft some words!!! I wasted 2 full weeks frantically experimenting on my HTML/paintbrush skills to decorate my templte. The designs filled up the good cells in my brain and my desktop and pulled me far away from the content itself.  Anyways,  hubby sparingly nodded to this pale look out of the lots. That tells me its high time I give him a lecture on creativity. (Sigh :P)

So, here I am back in business with one of my bookmarked recipes. I made this for my friends' son Saketh's first birthday! Phew, hard work finally did pay off though it was after 3 long strenuous trials!!!

First trial curdling the milk - failed!
second trial curdling the milk - failed!
Third trial with Ricotta cheese - half success!
Fourth attempt and i DID it!



So, Why do we want to start from scratch and curdle good 1 liter of milk?
The baked ricotta's are just so perfect for rasmalais!! No curdling and no stress!

What you need:
Ricotta cheese - Whole milk 15 oz box
Powdered sugar to taste
half n half - 3 cups
saffron for color and garnish
crushed cashew and pistas
Milk - 2 cups
Milkmaid (as needed) I used about 3/4 cup

Wrap the Ricotta in cheese cloth and let it hang for one full night. The water will drop off completely and next day you have nice and thick ricotta cheese.
Now mix sugar with the cheese and blend it well.
Keep tasting it to get the perfect sweetness. (don't make it too sweet, the milk sauce too is sugary).
Butter the muffin pans very lightly.
Now with a spoon, fill the muffin pan with this mixture.
Bake them for 20 minutes at 475F. make sure it doesn't get browned on the sides.
You can do the 'toothpick method' similar to the 'cake check'!
Turn off the oven , keep them in there and let it cool completely. (cooling completely is mandatory else they will still be delicate and fall apart)
After may be an hour, scoop them out with a spoon.

There you have the perfect balls!!


for the sauce:
Add milk, half and half to a pot and stir in medium heat till it reduces to half.
Add in the milkmaid and sugar as needed.
Stir in cardamom and saffron.
After a while this will turn into a nice light yellow thick and creamy sauce.

Drop the balls in the sauce.
I kept them dipped overnight in the fridge and by next day lunch time, balls had sucked in all the goodness from the sauce, it had become much more light, fluffy and soft.
There is nothing to worry, this will definitely won't let you down!

Serve them chilled with cashews and pista!!!
Omy dint have it as he found his return gift to be sweeter than his moms rasmalai!! :D.
Getting all kids to sit together for one second was tougher than cooking!!!

All the kids at the party! (The Birthday boy Saketh in red T)

33 comments:

  1. wow love the idea...looks so yum ....n tempting

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  2. Good going! Failure is the stepping stone to success! If it wasn't for those failed attempts, you wouldnt have discovered this easy way of making it! Thanks for sharing it with us :)

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  3. I do rasmalai with ricotta cheese as u prepared,its quite easy and cheaper than making them from scratch na...tempting!

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  4. After 3 attempts you succeeded in making this.. Lovely, easy, yummy and simple recipe. I lo0ved it a lot.

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  5. i second ur hubby's choice of template- looks subtle n fine ! the rasmalai is really rocking !

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  6. Looks so rich and yum. With ricotta cheese is so different to me...

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  7. oh this method is new to me and easy also..........very big thanks 4 sharing this..........can we use ricotta cheese as itself instead of ricotta cheese milk?????????????

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  8. very good idea..me too attempted thrice to make rasamalai..this is really great idea..all kutties looks very pretty..

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  9. Very different from how I make it but the end result looks the same..Looks amazing!!

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  10. Very different rasmalai recipe...looks very droolworthy!

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  11. wonderful and yummy :) new way and innovative :)

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  12. Looks so rich and yum.....looks very drool-worthy!

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  13. good to see you back! I do make rasmalai using ricotta. I actually steam them in idli moulds. perhaps it's my favorite Indian dessert!

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  14. Pics r droooolworthy rachu...hru doing girl...mouthwatering rasmalai..I prefer rasmalai with ricotta cheese ,baked or steamed and it saves so much time..right...love the kids pics...all happily smiling...seems they all loved the dessert prepared by u...great going..
    Hugs
    Sanyukta
    http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

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  15. Pics look simply tasty. Great preparation.

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  16. I also prepare rasmalai in the same way !! These looks so tempting and very delicious !!

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  17. Look so tempting..beautiful pic and great presentation.

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  18. My favourite sweet dish (love anything sweet) but I love this. Never succeed in making rasgullas or rasmalai. Must try ur way.

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  19. This dessert looks scrumptious

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  20. baking for rasmalai is a neat trick I learned when I was just starting to cook!...easy and fool proof!..but haven't made it that way for a long time now!....topped with cherry looks cute!
    Smitha
    Smitha's Spicy Flavors

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  21. How are you doing dear? Rasmalai looks yummy and irresistable..

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  22. lovely rasmalai.think Omy is enjoying with his friends.lovely template.

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  23. Rasmalai look so tempting Liked the idea of making it in muffin tin.

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  24. The desserts look like a hit and the kids are adorable :)

    http://ladyonaroof.blogspot.com/

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  25. I love making sweets with ricotta - a handy, easy to use, cheaper n very versatile ingredient..kudos on not giving up and getting it perfected!
    Liked the new neat look of your space :)

    US Masala

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  26. Seriously I's thinking abt ur absence, see, here u r with an amazing post.. Super duper , great recipe..Thanks for sharing..I love ur blog's new look as well.. Ur baby asusual looks damn cute..

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  27. Rasamalai looks awesome. Nice kiddies brithday party.

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  28. Rachu thts made very easy.....wow...will try it.wats half and half....cud u tell me pls

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  29. hey, i make it like this too.. i mix and bake right away.. no patience..:)
    love the colour..

    new to ur blog n happy to follow for more wonderful recipes..

    do visit me when u get time dear..
    http://comeletseat.blogspot.com

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  30. @Bini
    half n half is a readymade diary we get here. Its just whole milk + cream. You can replace it with normal milk itself. but try to reduce it to half and make it thick.
    ammaandbaby.blogspot.com/

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  31. wonderful... n all the kids r looking so cute..r

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  32. Resmi Das
    I was waiting for this recipe...heard that it was really good !! wil try this after the Vishu hangover...

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  33. nice recipe rasmalai with ricotta cheese...who will not love rasmalai ,i definetely do love it .but didn't hav the courage to try till now.will surely try ur recipe...
    www.sharemyrecipe.blogspot.com is my blog
    drop by when u get time
    thanks in advance

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Thanks for your comments.