Easy Dairy Milk Chocolate Rasmalai with Pistachio Topping

This version of rasmalai with pistachios and Dairy Milk sticks to the OG recipe, with a few fun changes. The chenna is made the usual way, but cocoa powder is mixed in during kneading, and each piece is cooked in syrup before being soaked in warm chocolate milk. Dairy Milk is added to further sweeten the dish. We urge you to do a taste test and balance it out with Bournville, if necessary. Pistachios are added in two places: while simmering the chocolate milk, and again at the end as a topping. The whole combination of the chocolate-infused chenna balls, with the almonds and pistachios, adds to the sublime flavor of the chocolate rasmalai. This recipe is quite straightforward and does need some patience, especially while kneading the chenna and letting the soaked pieces sit in the milk long enough to absorb the milky chocolate flavor. Do try this recipe below!

Rasmalai with Pistachios and Dairy Milk Recipe

Ingredients:

For the chenna:

• 4 cups milk
• 3 tbsp vinegar
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tsp Cadbury cocoa powder
• 2 cups cold water

For the chocolate milk:

• 3 cups milk
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp Cadbury cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp almonds, chopped
• 2 tbsp pistachios, chopped

For the sugar syrup:

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• Cold water ( for dunking cooked chocolate chenna balls)

For Garnish:

• 1 tbsp chopped almonds
• 1 tbsp chopped pistachios
• Edible gold leaf, optional

Method:

1. Take a thick-bottomed vessel, gently heat the milk over low heat. Stir continuously to prevent it from sticking. Once lukewarm, switch off the heat.
2. Mix vinegar with water in a small bowl. Slowly add this to the milk while stirring gently. Let the milk fully curdle.
3. Pour the curdled milk over a muslin cloth placed on a strainer. Rinse immediately with cold water to remove the vinegar smell. Squeeze out excess water and let it rest in the cloth for 20 minutes.
4. In a separate pan, add milk, sugar, and cardamom powder. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the cocoa powder, whisking until smooth. Add chopped almonds and pistachios. Let it simmer for a few minutes, then turn off the heat and set aside.
5. Transfer the drained chenna onto a clean plate. Knead it thoroughly for 7-10 minutes using your palms. Add cocoa powder mid-way and continue kneading until completely incorporated and the dough feels smooth.
6. Divide the chenna into equal portions, roll into balls, and flatten slightly. Cover and set aside.
7. In a wide pan, combine water and sugar. Bring it to a full boil.
8. Gently add the cocoa-infused chenna balls to the boiling syrup. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until they double in size.
9. Remove the cooked balls and transfer them immediately into a bowl of cold water. Let them cool completely, then gently squeeze out excess water.
10. Drop the cooled chenna balls into the warm chocolate milk mixture. Let them soak for at least 1 hour (longer for a deeper flavor).
11. Before serving, sprinkle with additional chopped almonds and pistachios. Add edible gold leaf if using.

Tips & Tricks

1. Use whole milk. Skimmed or toned milk won’t give you enough solids to form a good chenna.
2. Knead the chenna until it stops sticking. You don’t need to overdo it. Once it’s smooth and you can roll it without cracks, it’s ready.
3. Add cocoa during kneading, not before. If you add it too early, it won’t mix well, and you’ll get dry spots or streaks.
4. Don’t overcrowd the pan when boiling the chenna balls. They’ll puff up and need space, or they’ll turn flat or uneven.
5. Use chopped pistachios, not whole. Smaller pieces mix better into the milk and give a more even flavor throughout.
6. Let the chocolate milk simmer gently. Don’t boil it down too much, or it’ll thicken too fast. You want it to stay loose enough to soak in.
7. Chill the soaked rasmalai if serving later. The flavor holds better when it’s cold, and the milk gets a smoother finish after a few hours in the fridge.
8. Add nuts just before serving. Pistachios and almonds will go soft if they sit too long in the milk.
9. If the chenna breaks while boiling, the dough was under-kneaded or too wet. Try squeezing out more water or kneading a little longer next time.