Chocolate Rosogolla: A Step-By-Step Guide To This Bengali Fusion Favorite

Durga Puja is incomplete without syrup-soaked rosogulla on the dessert platter. Delicious, rich, and sattvic, rasgullas are a beloved dessert made with chenna and soaked in sugar syrup. It is one of the most popular Bengali sweets and is especially enjoyed during Navratri and Durga Puja. Made with curdled milk, rosogulla might be one of the easiest yet delightful desserts you can make using milk from scratch at home. Simply by curdling the milk, removing the chenna, kneading it into a soft dough, shaping it into small balls, and simmering it in sugar syrup, you can make the best rasgulla at home. Now you might be thinking it is easier said than done, but when you try it out yourself, you will realize how easy it is to make at home.

Adding a unique modern touch, this recipe incorporates chocolate into the classic recipe. The addition of chocolate instantly elevates the traditional rasgulla to a gourmet level, making it an appetizing treat that suits both modern tastes and traditional essence. This recipe will show you how to make chenna balls from scratch;. However, if you still want to make it easier, you can use freshly made paneer instead. Check out this recipe and make these chocolatey rasgullas at home for the Navratri festival.

Ingredients:

• For the Rosogolla (chhena balls)
• 1 liter full-fat milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar (diluted with 2 tbsp water)
• 1 tsp maida (all-purpose flour) or suji
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups sugar

For the Chocolate Syrup:

• 1 ½ cups water
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 50 g dark chocolate

Method:

Step 1: Prepare Chhena (Paneer)

Begin by preparing homemade chenna with curdled milk. To do this, bring milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Once it starts to bubble up, lower the flame a little and stir in diluted lemon juice or vinegar. This will curdle up the milk. Stir it well until you see the curdles completely separate from the whey.

Step 2: Strain the Chenna

Once all the curds gets separated from whey, scoop it all out into a muslin cloth and squeeze hard to remove extra whey. Wash it with cold water to remove the remaining whey and sour flavor. Tie up the muslin cloth and hang it for 30 minutes to let the excess water drain out.

Step 3: Make Rosogolla Balls

Transfer the prepared chenna onto a plate and knead it with greased palms for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and creamy. The curds will come together like a soft dough as you knead. When you skip kneading, the rosgolla balls will become cracked and fall apart instead of binding together; therefore, this step is essential. If you need help with binding, add a pinch of maida or suji to it. This will help activate gluten,, which works as a glue to keep everything together. Once the chenna is kneaded, make small,,, smooth balls with it.

Step 4: Cook Rosogollas

Now it is time to cook the rasgullas. Boil 4 cups of water in a deep pan with 2 cups of sugar. Let it simmer until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup becomes slightly thick. You don’t need it to be too thick, or it will not absorb well into chenna balls. Now gently drop the prepared chenna balls into the boiling syrup and cover the pan with a lid. Let it cook over medium heat for 15-18 minutes. As the balls soak up the syrup, they will expand in size and become spongy. Once they become tender, remove them from the the flame and let them cool in the syrup.

Step 5: Prepare Chocolate Syrup

Boil water in a pan and add sugar and cocoa powder to it. Stir it until it becomes slightly thick like a paste. Once it's done, add grated dark chocolate to it for an elevated chocolatey flavor. You can skip the addition of dark chocolate if you don’t want an intense flavor, but it is highly recommended for a deep chocolate flavor that pairs nicely with creamy rasgullas. Stir the mixture and let it cook until it reaches the desired thickness. Add some butter for glossiness.

Step 6: Soak & Serve

Squeeze out the excess syrup from the rasgullas gently without breaking them, and then drop them into the warm chocolate syrup. Let them soak for at least 1 hour. In this way, chocolate could reach the core of rasgullas, making them luscious. Serve the chocolate-soaked rasgullas warm or chilled and garnish with chocolate shavings, pistachios, and almonds.