How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai

// Rasmalai is a popular Bengali dessert where flattened cottage cheese balls are cooked in sugar syrup and then soaked in sweet, saffron flavored milk syrup.



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Learn to make  easy and soft homemade Rasmalai Recipe | How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home | Easy Homemade Ras Malai (रसमलाई) recipe  with step by step video tutorial. Rasmalai is a popular Indian dessert which hailes from Indian state of Bengal.

Ras’ (रस) means juice and ‘malai’ means fresh cream.

In this dish, ‘Malai’ ( मलाई ) is flattened cottage cheese balls (chenna/paneer balls), which are cooked in sugar syrup first and then later dunked and soaked in rich, sweet, saffron flavored thick and creamy milk syrup known as ‘ras’. 

a plate of rasmalai topped with nuts

Have you ever had this classic Indian dessert at an Indian Restaurant? Those soft and mouth melting paneer discs soaked in sweet, thick and creamy milk? Mmmmm, these paneer discs are super soft, delicate, delicious and have an astonishingly melt-in-your-mouth feel that will unquestionably leave you desiring for more. They are tender and filled with juicy cream in every bite. This dessert will earn your applause for sure.

Related: Instant Bread Rasmalai

a plate of rasmalai topped with nuts

I am sharing this perfect Monday recipe of Rasmalai. The good thing is that you can have them without any celebration. Well, I don’t think that you want a special event for eating these light, soft and spongy paneer balls. Nevertheless, if you still need an excuse to enjoy these then you will have to pretend that there’s a party or something. Does that make you feel better? 🙂

Related: Kaju Katli Recipe

a plate of soft rasmalai with a spoon

What is Rasmalai? ‘Ras’ (रस) means juice and ‘malai’ means fresh cream.

In this dish, ‘Malai’ ( मलाई ) is flattened cottage cheese balls (chenna/paneer balls), which are cooked in Chashni aka sugar syrup first and then later dunked and soaked in rich, sweet, saffron flavored thick and creamy milk syrup known as ‘ras’.

It’s then garnished with chopped nuts.

Related: How to Make Gulkand Pista Kulfi

a white plate with soft rasmalai and a spoon filled with nuts

Rasmalai is a Bengali delicacy which hails from the Indian State of Bengal. But this is popular in all over India — people are just crazy for this Indian sweet. You can get it everywhere in India.

a white plate with soft rasmalai on it

Today I am sharing the very original and authentic way of making Rasmalai. This rasmalai method is very straightforward. I made everything from scratch, which includes making chenna/paneer, shaping them to discs, boiling them in sugar syrup, and making Milk Rabari. And finally at the end, dunking and soaking soft and spongy paneer discs into the rabri to get that intense rich, milky, creamy sweet flavor inside out.

If you like rasmalai then you would also like this amazing shahi tukda recipe.

Related: Instant Coconut Ladoo Recipe – 3 Ways

soft rasmalai on a white plate with flowers

You can also make this instant version of Rasmalai by using store-bought ready-made Rasgullas from any Asian grocery store.

I always make rasmalai when I make spongy rasgullas at home. That is the main reason that whenever rasgullas I make sure to cook some extra, so that I can also make some instant rasmalai with them.

In this recipe, you’ll just have to make rabri, and dunk rasgullas into rabri the same way you do with the original Rasmalai recipe.

Related: Gulkand Shrikhand Recipe

a white plate with a soft rasmalai on a blue table

For me, it is one of the tastiest Indian desserts. I just adore them. I can even skip my meals for these tiny jewels. There is something so cool about this dessert — as soon as one of these balls are in your mouth, and all your life’s current problems would melt away temporarily. Like me, little A is also a HUGE fan of this sweet dish because it is sweet and it contains her favorite paneer. Yes, she loves eating raw paneer.

Related Kesari Mawa Peda

a spoon with ras malai on with a plate of soft rasmalai on a blue table

The good news is that this is completely gluten-free, grain-free, butter-free, and egg-free dessert. The key ingredient of this dish is full cream milk. If you like this dessert recipe, then I am sure you’ll also like this Instant Bread Rasmalai recipe I shared earlier.

Related: Rasgulla

two bowls of soft ras malai on a table with flowers

This deliciously lip-smacking dessert is best served chilled topped with some almonds, pistachio, and cashews.

Let’s learn Rasmalai Recipe | How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home with quick and easy steps.

a white plate with a soft rasmalai on a blue table
a close up of a plate of soft rasmalai with a spoon and rose petals

If you are looking for more India sweets recipes then do check out:

  1. Mawa Kachori

  2. Gulab Churma

  3. Jaipuri Malai Ghevar

  4. Gajar Ka Halwa

  5. Oliya

  6. Kopra Pak

  7. Moong Dal Halwa

  8. Kesar Elaichi Shrikhand

  9. Instant Peach Jalebi

  10. Rajasthani Mawa Malpua.


How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai (Step-by-step photo instructions)

Making Chenna (paneer) for Rasmalai:

  1. Heat milk in a pan and let it come to a boil. Stir the milk occasionally to prevent burning.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-1 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  3. Once the milk comes to a boil, turn the heat to low and add lemon juice/vinegar to it. Stir with a spatula.
  4. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-2 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  5. When you see the green whey separated from the solids, then your milk is curdled. Turn off the heat.
  6. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-3 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  7. Line a strainer/colander with a cheese/muslin cloth and pass the curdled milk through the lined strainer. (You can use this whey for making chapati dough)
  8. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-4 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  9. Rinse well. Washing will remove the tang from the (curdled milk) chenna.
  10. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-5 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  11. Now gather the cloth from the sides and squeeze well. (Chenna ­has to be the dry well.) Hang the cloth for 30 minutes to remove excess water.
  12. Image of the recipe cooking step-1-6 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai

Making Malai Balls for Rasmalai:

  1. Remove the chenna out from the cloth.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-2-1 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  3. Knead well for about 7-8 minutes. You can also use a food processor for kneading.
  4. Image of the recipe cooking step-2-2 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  5. You need to well until it starts leaving the fat, or you see your palms are getting greasy.
  6. Image of the recipe cooking step-2-3 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  7. Divide the dough into 12-14 pieces and roll each piece between your palms to make smooth and round lemon sized balls and flatten them to shape into discs.
  8. Image of the recipe cooking step-2-4 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai

Making Sugar syrup For Rasmalai:

  1. Add 1 cup sugar, 5 cups water, and cardamom pods to a large pot and stir with a spatula. (The ratio of sugar water should be 1:5.)
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-3-1 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  3. Let the water boil for few minutes and add the cheese balls into it.
  4. Image of the recipe cooking step-3-2 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  5. Cover the pan with the lig and cook covered for 5 minutes on high heat.
  6. Image of the recipe cooking step-3-3 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  7. Turn the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
  8. Image of the recipe cooking step-3-4 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  9. Let it cool completely.
  10. Image of the recipe cooking step-3-5 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai

Making Rabri For Rasmalai:

  1. Heat milk in a pan and let it come to a boil.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-4-1 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  3. Add 1 tablespoon hot milk to the saffron strands and stir well.
  4. Image of the recipe cooking step-4-2 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  5. Add this saffron mixture to the milk and boil it till it is reduced to half. Keep stirring occasionally.
  6. Image of the recipe cooking step-4-3 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  7. Add sugar and mix well.
  8. Image of the recipe cooking step-4-4 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  9. Now add cardamom, rose water chopped nuts, and boil for 5 more minutes.
  10. Image of the recipe cooking step-4-5 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  11. Let them cool completely.
  12. Image of the recipe cooking step-4-6 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai

Assembling Rasmalai:

  1. Transfer rabri to a plate and refrigerate ras for 2-3 hours if you want to serve chilled.
  2. Image of the recipe cooking step-5-1 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  3. Remove cheese balls from sugar syrup and press gently between palm or spatulas to remove excess sugar syrup.
  4. Image of the recipe cooking step-5-2 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  5. Transfer them to the rabri platter and coat then with rabri.
  6. Image of the recipe cooking step-5-3 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  7. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
  8. Image of the recipe cooking step-5-4 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai
  9. Garnish rasmalai with nuts and serve chilled.
  10. Image of the recipe cooking step-5-5 for How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai

Recipe Card


How to Make Soft Rasmalai At Home - Homemade Ras Malai [Recipe]

Recipe Image
Rasmalai is a popular Bengali dessert where flattened cottage cheese balls are cooked in sugar syrup and then soaked in sweet, saffron flavored milk syrup.
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 43 reviews)

Prep time 🕐 Cook time 🕐 Total time 🕐
1 hours 50 mins
Category ☶ Cuisine ♨ Serves ☺
Desserts Indian 12-14
Nutrition Info ⊛ Serving size ⊚
215 calories 1 bowl, 4-rolls, etc.

INGREDIENTS

For Chenna For Malai Balls:
  • 1 liter milk (use full milk cow milk)
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice, plus more if needed
  • Water as needed
For Sugar Syrup:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 cups water
  • 3-4 green cardamom pods (optional)
For Rabri:
  • 1 liter + 1 tablespoon Whole Milk
  • 1/4 cup sugar, or as per taste
  • 3 tablespoons, Chopped nuts + 1 tablespoons for garnish
  • 7-8 saffron strands
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
For serving:
  • Nuts, chopped­ (pistachio, almonds, cashews)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Making Chenna (paneer) for Rasmalai:
  1. Heat milk in a pan and let it come to a boil. Stir the milk occasionally to prevent burning.
  2. Once the milk comes to a boil, turn the heat to low and add lemon juice/vinegar to it. Stir with a spatula.
  3. When you see the green whey separated from the solids, then your milk is curdled. Turn off the heat.
  4. Line a strainer/colander with a cheese/muslin cloth and pass the curdled milk through the lined strainer. (You can use this whey for making chapati dough)
  5. Rinse well. Washing will remove the tang from the (curdled milk) chenna.
  6. Now gather the cloth from the sides and squeeze well. (Chenna ­has to be the dry well.) Hang the cloth for 30 minutes to remove excess water.
Making Malai Balls for Rasmalai:
  1. Remove the chenna out from the cloth.
  2. Knead well for about 7-8 minutes. You can also use a food processor for kneading.
  3. You need to well until it starts leaving the fat, or you see your palms are getting greasy.
  4. Divide the dough into 12-14 pieces and roll each piece between your palms to make smooth and round lemon sized balls and flatten them to shape into discs.
Making Sugar syrup For Rasmalai:
  1. Add 1 cup sugar, 5 cups water, and cardamom pods to a large pot and stir with a spatula. (The ratio of sugar water should be 1:5.)
  2. Let the water boil for few minutes and add the cheese balls into it.
  3. Cover the pan with the lig and cook covered for 5 minutes on high heat.
  4. Turn the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
  5. Let it cool completely.
Making Rabri For Rasmalai:
  1. Heat milk in a pan and let it come to a boil.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon hot milk to the saffron strands and stir well.
  3. Add this saffron mixture to the milk and boil it till it is reduced to half. Keep stirring occasionally.
  4. Add sugar and mix well.
  5. Now add cardamom, rose water chopped nuts, and boil for 5 more minutes.
  6. Let them cool completely.
Assembling Rasmalai:
  1. Transfer rabri to a plate and refrigerate ras for 2-3 hours if you want to serve chilled.
  2. Remove cheese balls from sugar syrup and press gently between palm or spatulas to remove excess sugar syrup.
  3. Transfer them to the rabri platter and coat then with rabri.
  4. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
  5. Garnish rasmalai with nuts and serve chilled.

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NOTES:

  1. Always use full-fat milk.
  2. You can also use store-bought rasgullas for making instant rasmalai.


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