rasmalai recipe with step by step photos. rasmalai is one of the popular and delicious bengali sweet where rasgullas are soaked in thickened and sweetened milk.
making rasmalai at home is not difficult. you can easily make some rasgullas at home and then make the thickened milk. i would suggest making the rasgullas a day or two before and then later make the rasmalai. dividing work this way makes it easy.
this recipe of thickened sweet milk is the traditional method made with reducing milk and thus tastes authentic like the rasmalai served in mithai shops.
for the rasgullas, i had already shared a detailed recipe post earlier. so you can check this detailed step by step post for making rasgullas – how to make rasgulla. you can also get store brought rasgullas to make rasmalai.
rasmalai is usually served chilled and without any accompaniments. while serving, also serve the thickened milk with the rasmalai.
if you are looking for more sweets recipes then do check:
rasmalai recipe
INGREDIENTS FOR rasmalai recipe
- 12 to 15 rasgullas, homemade or store brought ones
- 1 litre whole full fat cow milk or 4 cups whole full fat cow milk
- 4 to 5 tablespoon sugar or add as required
- 10 to 12 tablespoon almonds (badam) - blanched
- 10 to 12 unsalted pistachios (pista) - blanched
- ½ cup water for blanching the almonds and pistachios
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder (choti elaichi powder)
- 1 to 2 teaspoon rose water or kewra water
- 8 to 10 saffron strands (kesar)
- a few saffron strands for garnish
HOW TO MAKE rasmalai recipe
preparation for rasmalai recipe
- to make rasmalai you will need 12 to 15 rasgullas. either you can buy them from stores or make them at home.
- boil ½ cup water. then add almonds & pistachios. cover and keep aside for 30 to 40 minutes.
- after 30 minutes, peel the almonds, pistachios and slice them. keep aside.
thickening milk to make rasmalai recipe
- when the almonds are blanching, take 1 litre of milk in a thick bottomed pan or kadai.
- bring the milk to a boil on medium flame.
- whilst the milk is coming to a boil, take 2 tbsp milk from the pan in a small bowl. let this milk
- become warm and then add crushed saffron strands. stir and keep aside.
- once the milk has come to a boil, then lower the flame and simmer the milk. collect the floating cream on the sides. continue to cook this way till the milk is reduced to half.
- keep on collecting the cream which floats on the top and move it to the sides. also keep on stirring the milk at intervals so that the milk does not get scorched at the bottom.
- add sugar and stir well so that the sugar dissolves.
- then add cardamom powder.
- add the sliced almonds & pistachios. reserve a few almonds & pistachios for garnishing.
- also add the saffron dissolved milk.
- stir again. keep simmering the reduced milk at a low flame.
making rasmalai
- take each rasgulla and with a spatula apply pressure, so the excess sugar syrup is removed from it. you can also press the rasgulla in your palms. be gentle and don't apply too much of pressure. as then the rasgullas will break. do this with all the rasgullas.
- now place the rasgullas in the simmering milk and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- switch off the flame and then add 1 tsp rose water or kewra water (pandanus extract).
- stir gently. cover and let the rasmalai come to a room temperature. then chill and serve rasmalai garnished with some sliced almonds or pistachios and saffron strands.
- you can also serve rasmalai warm or at room temperature.
preparation to make rasmalai
1. to make rasmalai, you will need 12 to 15 rasgullas. you can either make them at home or you can buy the store brought ones. to make rasgulla at home, you can check this detailed step by step post with lots of tips and suggestions – how to make rasgulla
2. boil ½ cup water. then add almonds. cover and keep aside for 30 to 40 minutes. usually both almonds and pistachios are added. i had run out of pistachios, so just added almonds. you can add about 10 to 12 numbers each of the almonds and pistachios.
3. after 30 minutes, peel the almonds and slice them. keep aside.
thickening milk to make rasmalai
4. so when the almonds are blanching, take 1 litre of full fat whole milk in a thick bottomed pan or kadai.
5. bring the milk to a boil on medium flame.
6. whilst the milk is coming to a boil, take 2 tbsp milk from the pan in a small bowl. let this milk become warm and then add 8 to 10 saffron strands. stir and keep aside. you can also crush the saffron strands and then add.
7. once the milk has come to a boil, then lower the flame and simmer the milk. collect the floating cream and with a spatula or spoon bring it to the sides. continue to cook this way till the milk is reduced to half.
8. keep on collecting the cream which floats on the top and move it to the sides. also keep on stirring the milk at intervals so that the milk does not get scorched at the bottom. this process of reducing milk will take about 20 to 25 minutes after the first boil on a low to medium flame.
9. once the milk has reduced to half of its original volume, add sugar. add 4 to 5 tbsp of sugar or as per your taste.
10. stir well so that the sugar dissolves. scrape the milk solids from the sides and add them to the simmering milk.
11. then add ½ tsp cardamom powder.
12. add the sliced almonds. also reserve a few sliced almonds for garnish.
13. also add the saffron dissolved milk.
14. stir again. keep simmering the reduced milk at a low flame and do stir occasionally. do check the taste and add more sugar if required. i usually do not thicken the milk to rabri consistency as the rasgullas need to soak some of the sweetened milk. so i reduce the milk till its halved of its original quantity.
making rasmalai
15. take each rasgulla and with a spatula apply pressure, so the sugar syrup is removed from it. you can also press the rasgulla in your palms. be gentle and don’t apply too much of pressure, as then the rasgullas will break. there should be no sugar syrup in the rasgullas.
16. press all the rasgullas this way.
17. now place the rasgullas in the simmering milk.
18. simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
19. switch off the flame and then add 1 teaspoon rose water or kewra water.
20. stir gently. cover and let the rasmalai come to a room temperature. then chill and serve rasmalai garnished with some sliced almonds or pistachios and saffron strands. you can also serve rasmalai warm or at room temperature.
Mam, we use pasteurized cow’s milk to prepare rasmalai?
yes you can.
Hi Dassana,
You have mentioned that the water that remains after making chenna can be used for making chapatis or other stuff. How long can we store this water in the fridge?
Linda, it will stay good for 2-3 days in fridge.