This is not an uncommon recipe or method of making Rasmalai, one of Eastern India’s most popular desserts, now a favorite in every corner of India – for those who have seen my other Rosemalai post, you will know that this method is quite different from the one I used the last time I made this dish. This is a no fuss yet very exotic dessert that you could try your hand at for a party of just for the folks at home. I found this a) a lot easier to prepare and b) taste wise too, it was more appealing to me. So whachya waiting for – let’s get cracking with making this super dessert.
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Indian Ricotta Rasmalai Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
A popular North indian dessert prepared with a popular cheese from Italy to make for a match made in heaven
Ingredients
- For the Malai
- 2 cups (450 g) of Ricotta Cheese
- 3/4 or 1 cup (180-240 ml) of white sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
- 1tbsp (15 ml) cardamom
- For the Ras
- 1 can of sweet condensed milk
- 1 can of evaporated milk
- 3 -4 cups (720-960 ml) of 1% milk
- 1tsp (5 ml) of saffron crushed or as strands
Instructions
- Set oven to 350
- Drain any excess water from the ricotta by hanging in a cheese cloth or turning the tub over a cheese close draped in a colander
- In a mixing bowl, gently mix in the ricotta, sugar and cardamom
- Pour into a greased square pan
- Cook in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until you see a faint golden color appear on the surface
- Cool it down
- In a pan, empty the contents of the condensed milk and evaporated milk and set on a slow flame
- Stir in the ingredients until they flow smoothly together
- Now add the milk and allow it to boil
- Add in the saffron and boil for 5-7 minutes
- You must find the the milk reducing in quantity by now
- Cut the ricotta into squares or diamond shapes
- What I did was – cut the pieces of ricotta and placed them in ramekins, ready to serve and poured the ras or milk over it – cooled it down on my counter and placed them in the fridge to serve chilled
- This can be served hot or cold
- Add sliced almonds or crushed pistacho (unsalted) on the top for added elegance
- Enjoy
Notes
- If you find there is some water beneath the baked rasmalai – just tip the pan and pour out excess water As I said earlier, you can pre-set in ramekins before refrigerating – ready to serve
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 210
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why use ricotta cheese instead of the traditional chenna (fresh-pressed curd)?
The author explicitly says this method is easier and found it more appealing taste-wise than the traditional method she previously used. Ricotta skips making fresh curd from scratch while giving a similar soft texture and mild dairy flavor for the malai component. 
Why do I need to drain the ricotta before baking it?
The recipe says to drain excess water from the ricotta by hanging it in cheesecloth or inverting the tub over a cheesecloth-lined colander. If you skip this, excess moisture prevents the malai from setting properly in the oven. The notes even mention tipping the baked pan to pour out any remaining water after baking.
Can this dessert be served hot or cold?
The recipe says it can be served either way. The author pre-sets cut ricotta pieces in ramekins, pours the warm saffron-milk ras over them, cools at room temperature, and refrigerates — making them ready to serve chilled. Serving hot directly from the oven is also an option.
How sweet should the malai be — how much sugar should I use?
The recipe gives a range of 3/4 to 1 cup of white sugar for the malai, explicitly noting it depends on how sweet you like it. Since the ras is already sweetened by a full can of condensed milk, starting with 3/4 cup in the malai is a safe choice.
very interesting, tried this sweet and found it to be quite interesting, wish to try it soon