Rasmalai
Soft, spongy homemade cheese dumplings soaked in chilled saffron and cardamom milk, garnished with pistachios and almonds.
By Marisol Vance, Founder & Head of Recipe Development
Published August 21, 2025
- Prep
- 1 hr
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 2 hrs
- Servings
- 8
- Level
- Advanced
Rasmalai is one of India's most loved celebration sweets, served at weddings, festivals and Diwali gatherings. Delicate discs of fresh chenna, a homemade cheese much like paneer, are cooked in bubbling sugar syrup until they puff up and turn spongy, then soaked in thick milk scented with saffron and cardamom.
The texture depends on the chenna. Rinse it well, leave just enough moisture and knead until it is completely smooth, and the discs will be soft and melt-in-the-mouth rather than rubbery.
The whole dessert gets better as it chills, so make it a day ahead. Serve it cold in small bowls with plenty of the fragrant milk spooned over.
- Soft homemade chenna discs
- Saffron and cardamom milk
- Festive make-ahead sweet
Ingredients
Directions
Bring the 8 cups milk to a boil in a large heavy pot, stirring often. Turn off the heat, wait 1 minute, then slowly stir in the diluted lemon juice until the milk curdles and the whey turns pale greenish and clear.
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