Traditionally Rasamalai is prepared with homemade paneer (malai) which is then soaked in yummy syrup (ras) and hence the name Rasamalai. I have posted homemade rasagulla this Feb and you can find the recipe here. For those who wanted to prepare from scratch, you can prepare the malais as mentioned in that post and use the ras recipe from below. For this instant rasamalai, I used Ricotta cheese and also to speedup the ras preparing process; I used the combo of evaporated milk and regular milk and also condensed milk to enhance the richness. For the baking time, I referred time to Anu’s post. Please see other variations in my notes section. Before getting into the post, let me explain about ricotta cheese.
What’s Ricotta Cheese? Ricotta literally means recooked. Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese made from milk whey left over from the production of cheese. Taste of home defines it aptly, “when a cheese maker separates milk or cream into curds and whey, the curds are used to make cottage cheese and the whey is used to make ricotta. That’s why both cheeses, although similarly soft and mild in flavor, have such different textures. Both are considered “fresh” cheeses.” Also it’s easy to find rennet free ricotta cheese. (I owe couple of post about cheese, will post it soon). If you looking for vegetarian cheese list, you can find them here. Ok, no more explanations. Without any further ado, here comes the Ricotta cheese rasmalai. As I was preparing lot of sweets, I didn’t prepare this in a big batch. So double the measurements for a bigger batch. This recipe from start to end took me about 50-55 minutes and you get to relax for about 20 minutes when the baking is happening. :-) Ingredients: For the Malai:
Ricotta Cheese – 7.5 oz. (I used half of the 15 oz can) Sugar – 4 tbsps Oil for greasing the muffin tray
For the Ras:
Evaporated Milk – 6 oz (I used half of a 12 oz can) 2% Milk – 6 oz (Same measure as evaporated milk) Saffron – a pinch Hot water – 3 tbsps Cardamom Powder – ½ tsp Condensed Milk – 2 tbsps Sugar – 4 tbsps
For Garnishing:
Chopped nuts of your choice Saffron – a pinch
Steps: Preparing the Malai:
Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Mix the Ricotta cheese and 4 tbsps of sugar. Make sure they are incorporated well. Now grease the muffin tray with oil and scoop out 2 tbsps of the ricotta cheese and sugar mix and pour it in each muffin dip/hole.
I got about 5 malai with this mix. Now bake this for 35 – 40 minutes. (I baked for 40 minutes) (While the baking is happening, you can prepare the ras) It will brown up in the sides, but do not panic. It should brown up and when you insert a tooth pick, it should be come out clean. That’s the right consistency. Remove them from the muffin tray and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Preparing the Ras:
Add the saffron to the 3 tbsps of hot water and let it soak for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom pan, add the regular milk and evaporated milk and let it warm. When the bubbles starts to form, add the saffron soaked water, elaichi powder and sugar. Mix them well and let it simmer in low heat for about 6-7 minutes. Now add the condensed milk and let it further simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and that’s it, the ras is ready. :-)
Let this cool down to room temperature. Assembling the Rasmalai:
By the time the malai gets baked, the ras will be cooled down too. In wide serve ware, place the baked ricotta cheese malai and slowly add the ras and make sure the malai gets immersed nicely. Cover and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before serving. But more it soaks, it tastes better.
Serving:
Take one or two chilled and soaked rasmalais in serving bowl. Add sufficient ras and now garnish it with chopped nuts and saffron. I used pistachios and almonds.
Notes:
Chopped nuts can be added while preparing the ras. I prefer crunchy nuts, so I just add them before serving. I used raw nuts and I didn’t toast them. While preparing the malai, adding sugar is optional. Also you can add elaichi powder or rose syrup to the ricotta cheese mix for enhanced flavors. Baking time varies depending upon the cheese quality and also depending upon the rack positions in the over. After 30 minutes you can check the malai and depending on that you can set the additional time. I placed in the middle rack and baked for 40 minutes. Ensure both the ras and malai are cooled down before assembling them together. Adjust the sugar as per your preference. Evaporated milk is optional. Instead you can add regular milk and add 1 more tbsp of condensed milk.
📖 Recipe
