Rasmalai

My favourite dessert. Nothing can beat the light and delicate taste of cold rasmalai. Even tough I try hard not to use processed white sugar in any food I cook, this is one dessert where I cannot avoid it. Rasmalai will not be the same if white sugar is not used.

Makes around 20 medium sixed rasgullas
For Rasgulla:
Organic Whole Milk - 1/2 gallon or 1.89 L ,
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
Granulated Sugar - 1.5 cups
Water - 4 cups
Rosewater - 1 tsp

For Malai:
Organic Half and Half - 32 oz / quarter gallon / 946 ml
Sugar - 5 tbsp or as per taste
Cardamom Powder - a pinch
Pistachio - 1/2 tbsp, finely chopped

Sieve the lemon juice so that it has no solid particles. Mix it with 2 tbsp of water and keep aside.

Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.

As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. When the curd starts separating from the whey, turn off the heat.

Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer lined with cheesecloth or cotton napkin.

Wrap the cheese in the cloth, and rinse under cold water for atleast 3 minutes, and squeeze well.

Once it is drained, place on a dry, clean plate and knead the paneer by dragging the palm of your hand hard for atleast 15 minutes until the paneer rolls into smooth soft dough.

Divide the dough into tiny marble sized portions and roll them into smooth balls.

Mix the sugar and water in a pressure cooker on medium high heat and bring to a boil.

Add the paneer balls and close the cooker. After the pressure cooker starts steaming, turn the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove and keep aside to cool.

Now take a heavy bottomed pan. Add the half anf half and bring it to a boil. Then lower the heat and cook till the milk reduces to half. Keep stirring in between so that the milk doesnt stick to the bottom of the pan.

Once it is reduced, add the sugar and the cardamom powder. Cook for a few minutes more.

Remove the rasgulla from the syrup, squeeze well and add them to the thickened milk. Garnish with pistachio on top. For added flavor, a few strands of saffron can also be added to the malai. Let the rasgullas soak in the milk for atleast an hour before serving.