The very name is exotic and denotes the richness of this delicate Indian sweet. Without a doubt, Rasmalai tops the list of all Indian milk-based desserts. Rasmalai is a dessert originating from the eastern part of India, as almost all milk and cream-based desserts come from that region of India.
According to a local sweet shop in Calcutta, this Bengali-origin dessert was first made and perfected by KC Das. Although, these claims are not easily verifiable.
Another popular dessert originating from eastern India is Rasgulla, also known as sponge Rasgulla for its spongy texture. An important factor when cooking any food is the water used in preparation. Water has its peculiar proportion of minerals and other natural additives that will greatly affect the recipe, and thus some items are related and taste better in one region only. Similarly, Rasmalai or Rasgulla prepared in Bengal always tastes better when made there, compared to other parts of India.
Rasmalai is basically a creamy, milky syrup that consists of Chenna (cottage cheese) balls. The syrup is made exclusively with milk, sugar, cream, and a mixture of saffron. The ultra-soft cottage cheese in the recipe is the essence of it and makes it a wonderful dessert for special occasions, best served cold.
It features sugar-coated white or yellow balls soaked in rich cream and aromatized with saffron, cardamom, rose water, and pistachios. Unlike other Indian desserts, this one requires skill and practice to perfect and make it properly.
