Rasmalai tres leches cake
The Mexican Tres leches meets the ever popular Indian Rasmalai - and its a marriage made in heaven!
Ingredients
For the rasmalai
- 120 ml or 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the sugar syrup
- 50 grams or 1/4 cup sugar
- 240 ml or 1 cup water
For the rabdi
- 360 ml or 11/2 cups milk
- 3-4 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered cardamom
For the soaking milks
- 120 ml or 1/2 cup Rabdi as prepared above or ready bought
- 60 ml or 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 60 ml or 1/4 cup milk
For the cake
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 100 grams or 1/2 cup castor or granulated sugar
- 125 grams or 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the topping
- 120 ml or 1/2 cup whipping or heavy cream
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons rabdi from the rabdi used to soak the rasmalai
- Pinch of cardamom optional
- Pinch of saffron optional
- Sliced almonds or pistachios
Instructions
To make rabdi
- Bring one cup milk to a boil in a thick bottomed pan.
- Lower the heat and bring to a simmer while stirring occasionally .
- After about 10 minutes, add the sugar , saffron and cardamom powder.
- Continue simmering for 5-10 minutes more until you have about 3/4 cup liquid.
- Take off heat and let cool.
To make the rasmalai
- Bring the half cup milk to a boil and add lemon juice while stirring.
- Once the milk curdles completely, take off heat and pour into a strainer lined with cheese cloth or muslin cloth.
- Wash the cheese with fresh water to remove any lemon smell.
- Wrap the cheese cloth with the cheese in it in a ball, squeeze out extra water and hang somewhere for about 30 minutes.
- Knead the cheese for about 10 minutes until it forms a smooth dough.
- Make small balls out of the cheese (I got 20) and make sure they are as crack free as possible.
- Heat the 1 cup water with the 1/4 cup sugar in a wide bowl.
- Once it comes to a rolling boil, add the cheese balls gently .
- Cover and cook ( on high heat) for 8-10 minutes. They should double in size.
- Using a slotted spoon , remove the discs .
- In 1/4 cup of the prepared rabdi , soak the cheese balls and keep refrigerated for few hours or overnight.
To make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Butter and flour a 8 inch square pan , line the bottom with parchment.
- Separate the eggs .
- Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a bowl, keep aside.
- Beat the whites using an electric mixer or whisk until stiff peaks form. This takes 2-3 minutes.
- Add the yolks little by little while continuing beating.
- Once the yolks are incorporated , add the sugar one tablespoon at a time while continuing beating.
- Beat for a minute or two after the last of the sugar is added.
- Sift in the flour- baking powder mixture on top of the batter.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in the flour until you can't see flour anymore .
- Immediately pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake at 180 C / 350 F for 25- 30 minutes until the cake springs back when touched and the edges are coming away from the pan sides.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes . Remove and cool completely on wire rack.
To assemble
- Stir the remaining half cup of the rabdi with the condensed milk and whole milk.
- Pour over the cooled cake evenly .
- Refrigerate for few hours or overnight.
- Whip the half cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon sugar to firm peaks .
- Add a tablespoon or two of the rabdi used to soak the rasmalais and beat well. You can also add saffron (soaked in warm milk ) or cardamom for flavouring instead.
- Spread the whipped cream over cake.
- Garnish with the rasmalai and sliced nuts
- Serve chilled or at room temperature
Notes
The finished cake stays good refrigerated for 2-3 days.
If using store bought rabdi, adjust the amount of condensed milk so that the soaking milk isn't too sweet.
While flavouring the whipped cream, add the rabdi slowly (half tablespoon at a time) and beat well after each addition so that the cream doesn't lose its consistency .
You might not get a pale yellow colour in your whipped cream with just the rabdi- you can add food colouring or saffron (soaked in a little milk) if you want.
If using store bought rasgulla, squeeze out excess sugar syrup , let soak in homemade Rabdi and continue as above.
If using store bought rabdi, adjust the amount of condensed milk so that the soaking milk isn't too sweet.
While flavouring the whipped cream, add the rabdi slowly (half tablespoon at a time) and beat well after each addition so that the cream doesn't lose its consistency .
You might not get a pale yellow colour in your whipped cream with just the rabdi- you can add food colouring or saffron (soaked in a little milk) if you want.
If using store bought rasgulla, squeeze out excess sugar syrup , let soak in homemade Rabdi and continue as above.