Ras malai with ricotta cheese (Serves 8)

Happy Navratri to all who are celebrating…

This recipe is long overdue in my drafts. I make this very often for parties and don’t know why it took this long for it to make it here.This is the easy way to make ras malai and tastes very close to the traditional one. As Navatri is around the corner, this could be a great prasad to please god…Hope you will like it…

Ingredients

1. Ricotta cheese 15 oz (I used reduced fat)
2. Sugar ½ cup + 1 TBSP
3. Cardamom 3 nos, crushed
4. Whole milk 2 cups
5. Condensed milk ½ cup
6. Saffron a pinch
7. Pistachios a few, crushed for garnishing

Preparation

• Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.
• Transfer the cheese into a mixing bowl and add 1 TBSP sugar and a pinch of crushed cardamom. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Now equally divide this mixture into a muffin pan, about 2 TBSPs in each cup and level using a spoon. Bake for 40- 45 minutes until it is set and attains a brown color on top. You can test by inserting a tooth pick and it should come out clean.
• Let them cool completely, before removing from the muffin pan.

For the ras/syrup

• Boil milk in a sauce pan and add condensed milk, sugar and simmer in low flame for 15-20 minutes until it gets a thick consistency.
• Add the remaining crushed cardamoms and mix well.
• Now take one ricotta cheese disc and crush with your palm, add it to the milk and mix well. Add saffron and switch off stove. Allow this to cool.
• Once it reaches the room temperature add the ricotta discs and let it soak for at least an hour.
• Serve chilled or warm with crushed pistachios to your preference. Enjoy!!

Notes: if you prefer the ricotta discs to stay white bake for lesser time about 30-35 mnts.

Cheers!!!
Suji