What is Rasmalai?

Rasmalai is one of the most famous of Bengal’s desserts. Made from pieces of chhena (another name for soft, homemade paneer), you knead it until smooth, divide into balls, boil in sugar syrup and then finally, soak in saffron and cardamom milk (masala doodh). Wanna hear why it’s so magical? Without any additional ingredients or raising agents, the chhena balls inflate to double their original size and take on a ridiculous, puffy, spongy texture. They are made to soak up sweet masala doodh.

Vanilla Rasmalai

Vanilla Rasmalai are soft, spongy cheese dumplings soaked in sweet vanilla, cardamom and saffron milk. Inspired by the classic Bengali dessert, this version is served chilled and the flavours are reminiscent of the Indian ice cream, kulfi.

Like many, I grew up eating ready-made Rasmalai from a box. The mere thought of making my own cheese, boiling it in sugar syrup and then leaving it to soak for eight hours seemed like an impossible task. When I was 12, I had my first taste of my mother’s Rasmalai recipe she learned from her father. Many of you will know that he was a confectioner and made incredible versions of all the classic Indian sweets. I quickly fell in love with her liberal use of vanilla.

Why vanilla?

These homemade Rasmalais have a beautifully-scented masala doodh. Together, they taste like if my favourite vanilla ice cream and kulfi had a Rasmalai-shaped baby! Since then, homemade Rasmalai has always won over the watered-down shop-bought version.

Tips and tricks for making perfect Rasmalai

How to serve Vanilla Rasmalai

Chill the Rasmalai in the fridge for 8-10 hours. This is because resting will give the flavours a chance to develop and the chhena patties to absorb the masala doodh. The result will be spongy, soft Rasmalai that keeps its’ shape beautifully.

Serve the Rasmalai cold, straight from the fridge for a gorgeous dessert following an Indian meal. This is a popular choice at Indian wedding banquets.

Allergies

This Rasmalai is suitable for those with gluten-free diets. However, many commercial brands of milk powder are manufactured alongside wheat and other flours in flour mills, so please check packaging if you are using milk powder and/or are preparing this for someone with a severe wheat or gluten allergy. Similarly, this applies for those with a soy or nut allergy.

Ingredients you’ll need to make Vanilla Rasmalai

• Full-fat milk
• Double cream
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla pod
• Green cardamom pods
• Saffron
• Lemon juice
• Water
• Ice
• Cornflour (cornstarch), not cornmeal
• Almonds
• Pistachios
• Dried rose petals (optional)
• Edible gold/silver (optional)
• Any flavourless oil

Special equipment

Finally, my recipe requires the use of a sugar thermometer. I use this one, however you can use any that gives an accurate reading for your sugar syrup.

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Vanilla Rasmalai

Soft, spongy cheese dumplings soaked in sweet vanilla, cardamom and saffron milk. Inspired by the classic Bengali dessert, this version is served chilled and the flavours are reminiscent of the Indian ice cream, kulfi.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword cardamom, cheese, milk, paneer, saffron, vanilla

Prep Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Resting time 8 hours hours

Total Time 11 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 pieces

Equipment

• Cheesecloth or muslin
• Colander
• Sugar thermometer or food thermometer
• 3 x large saucepans
• Sieve
• Weights, cans or cheese press
• Slotted spoon

Ingredients

For the masala doodh:

• 1 L full-fat milk
• 300 ml double cream
• 40 g granulated sugar
• 1 whole vanilla pod split and scraped (reserve the pod)
• 4 green cardamom pods seeds crushed
• 1 small pinch saffron 8-10 strands

For the chhena:

• 2 L full-fat milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice mixed with 1 tbsp water
• 1 L ice water

For the sugar syrup:

• 2 L water
• 500 g granulated sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

You will also need:

• 1 L ice water
• 1 tbsp slivered almonds
• 1 tbsp slivered pistachios
• 8-10 dried rose petals to garnish (optional)
• Edible gold/silver to garnish (optional)
• 1/2 tsp oil for greasing the base of the pan used for boiling the milk for malai pieces

Instructions

For the masala doodh:

• Pour the milk and cream into a large, heavy-based saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the sugar, vanilla beans and pod, saffron and ground cardamom seeds. Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to low.
• Allow to simmer, uncovered until reduced by half, about 40 minutes. Stir often to avoid the milk burning on the base of the pan. Once reduced, remove from the heat, cover with a lid and set aside.
• When cool, strain the masala doodh to remove any skin that may have formed during the boiling process and the vanilla pod. You can pop any saffron back into the milk. Stir in the almonds and pistachios. This step might seem over the top but I promise it will make a huge difference to the finished dessert. Those excess pieces of malai from boiling the milk can really affect the finish of the Rasmalai.

For the chhena:

• Rub the base of a large, heavy-based pan with 1/2 tsp oil. This makes cleaning up much easier later on. Pour the milk into the pan and bring to a full boil.
• Switch the heat off and add the lemon and water mixture a tablespoon at a time, stirring briefly between each addition until the milk curdles. Once the curds have separated from the whey, add the ice water to stop the cooking process. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
• Line a colander with muslin or cheesecloth and place it in the sink. If you’d like to reserve the whey for another recipe later, you can place the colander in a large bowl to catch the drained liquid. Alternatively, let it drain away.
• Carefully pour the mixture into the lined colander. Remove the bowl from under the colander (if using). Rinse the curds under cold, running water to remove any sourness from the vinegar.
• Gather the corners of the cloth and twist to enclose the curds. Gently twist the cloth to remove excess moisture. Place the bundle back inside the colander resting on a plate or bowl. Apply approximately 1kg of pressure on top of bundle. You can use 3-4 tins of beans or a pan of water. Anything stable that will be heavy enough to press out excess whey. Allow to press for 30 minutes.
• NOTE: Because you rubbed the base of the pan with oil prior to starting, any milk that settled and burned on the base of the pan will lift away easily so you don’t have to spend ages scrubbing it.

For the sugar syrup:

• In a large, deep saucepan combine the water, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Clip a sugar thermometer to the side to the saucepan. Allow to boil until the syrup reaches “thread” consistency (105C/220F). Turn the heat down to very low and cover with a lid.

To make the malai pieces (rasgulla) from chhena:

• Remove the weights from on top of the chenna bundle and unwrap. Place the chenna onto a large, clean work surface. Dab with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
• Break the chenna into rough pieces and begin to knead it with your hand. Use the heel of your palm to spread the chenna as thinly as possible against the work surface, using a long, sliding motion. Apply pressure to press out all graininess and gather the mixture together again. Repeat this action 40-50 times until all traces of graininess have disappeared and the chenna is smooth. It should take 10-12 minutes. It should be soft and smooth, not grainy or greasy.
• Divide the chenna into 24 pieces. Lightly oil your hands and roll into balls, pressing against your palms to ensure the ball is smooth and crack free. Lightly press to form a disc or patty, about 3cm in diameter. Repeat for all the pieces.

To cook the malai pieces:

• Bring the syrup back to a rolling boil. Add the cornflour and water slurry and stir briefly. Next, carefully drop 6 malai discs into the hot syrup. Don’t overcrowd the pan as the pieces will inflate (double or triple in size during the cooking process). Place the lid back on and return the lid to the pan.
• Boil hard for 15 minutes until the malai pieces have doubled in size. Keep a kettle or separate pan of hot water aside and ladle hot water into the pan every 5 minutes during cooking. This will ensure the sugar syrup remains at the same consistency. If the malai pieces are turning dark, the syrup is too concentrated. Add hot water and bring it back to the correct temperature.
• Once 15 minutes are up, turn the heat down and remove the cooked rasgullas with a slotted spoon and drain excess syrup. Place it in a bowl of ice water immediately to stop the cooking process. Allow to sit in the water for 3 minutes and then very gently, press each piece between your palms to remove excess liquid and to flatten it very slightly.
• Slide each rasgulla into the masala doodh. They are now Rasmalai.
• Repeat the process above for the remaining three batches of malai. Ensure the sugar syrup is the correct consistency throughout by adding more water at regular 5 minute intervals during the boiling process. Use a timer!
• Once all the pieces have been added to the masala doodh, cover the pan and refrigerate for 8-10 hours for the malai pieces to absorb the masala doodh. Garnish with the optional dried rose petals and edible gold/silver leaf.

Notes

The Rasmalai can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.

This Rasmalai is not suitable for freezing.

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If you like Vanilla Rasmalai, you’ll love this Pistachio Burfi

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Super Sundays

It was 1995 and I had begged my dad for a costume tiara from Bombay Stores in Bradford all summer. He finally caved in after some heavy persuasion and a nice daal kachori pick up from Kaushy Patel’s Prashad. This was pre-Gordon Ramsay declaring it his Best Restaurant and long before it even became a dine-in restaurant. In those days, we would be treated to some Indian snacks from Bradford’s only vegetarian mithai shop one Sunday a month. Kaushy aunty would always sneak me Gulab Jamun freebies as I peered through the glass counter. She was always wore kajal around her eyes and a smile on her face.

After loading the car boot up with savoury snacks, mithai and fruit and veg from the abundantly-stocked Pakistani shop, Al-Halal, we’d head over to Bombay Stores.

My happy place

Passing through the doors of Bombay Stores like stepping into the set of a Bollywood movie. A labyrinth of colourful saris and lenghas, glass counters filled with glimmering costume jewellery, and Indian shoes as far as the eye could see. I’d have the “Bombay Stoooooores” jingle from Zee TV adverts playing on loop in my head. The lingering scent of Indian newspapers would follow you around like the mythological ghost, Betaal clinging to King Vikramaditya’s shoulders in Mahakavi Somdev Bhatt‘s Baital Pachisi. The smell of the newspaper ink came from the saris they were folded inside to keep the fabric straight and it permeated every fibre. I took long, deep breaths and revelled in anticipation of finally getting that tiara.

Post-tiara life

Playing dress-up was always the same after that day. My go-to persona was a princess. Finally, I was no longer “Little Diesel”, a wresting protégé my older brother had fashioned based on the infamous WWF (now WWE) character. Why? Because now I wore a tiara. I had arrived.

The first time I wore it outside the house was to the temple’s Diwali fancy dress.

One half of Radhe-Shyam

I dressed up as the gopi, Radha. In Hinduism, she is a milkmaid and dear consort of Lord Krishna. Decked out in an shiny aubergine-coloured skirt and top and my mum’s maroon lipstick, I felt like a million dollars. She gave me a faux beauty spot à la Cindy Crawford and painted my nails with her best bottle of Revlon nail polish.

I lost the fancy dress competition to my brother.

He was Shankar bhagwan (Mahadeva, an incarnation of Lord Shiva). He held a trident made of cardboard crisp boxes wrapped in tin foil and a large rubber snake around his neck. Mum did an amazing job on his costume. I was happy with second prize, a box of Milk Tray and my tiara still firmly on my head. Third prize went to my cousin who wore a long, grey school sock on his nose to resemble Lord Ganesha. It’s a day I’ll never forget.

Afterwards, we all filled up on dinner and mithai. The ones that appealed to my inner magpie were the ones covered in shiny silver leaf.

Much like these Pistachio Burfis, they had a delicious, milky fudge flavour and simply melted in your mouth. Here, I’ve recreated a version of the burfi I enjoyed when I was growing up. It has true pistachio flavours (not just food colour or pistachio essence) and of course, gold and silver leaf on top. Some things will never change.

Can I make Pistachio Burfi ahead of time?

Yes. Technically it lasts a week in the fridge so make it in advance and keep refrigerated. I’d recommend keeping it sealed in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Keep it away from anything strong smelling.

Do I have to use pistachio butter?

For this recipe, I recommend you do. It gives a perfectly-textured burfi with a delicious melt-in-the-mouth feel. Either order it online, find it in speciality food shops, or if you have a Vitamix-style blender, make your own. Ensure you are using a pistachio butter that is 100% pistachios, and with no added sugar.

Can I use any other nut butters?

As long as they smooth and mostly pure nuts. Any added ingredients may affect the texture of the burfi. If in doubt, always check the label. You’re looking for 100% nuts of your choice for the best results. I’ve tried it with almond butter, cashew butter and peanut butter, all with fantastic results.

How do I to cut burfi into perfect squares?

Always cut burfi at room temperature. Cutting it fridge cold could cause it to crumble and chip. Use a very large, very sharp knife to cut the burfi and wipe the blade clean after each cut to reduce crumbs and streaks.

Can I add any other masalas to this Pistachio Burfi?

Absolutely. If you like, you can add the ground seeds of 3-4 green cardamoms. I would not recommend adding saffron because it will significantly change the colour of this pistachio burfi. Saffron would however, be a great addition to cashew or almond butter burfi.

Is gold/silver leaf vegetarian?

Some methods of producing gold and silver leaf are not vegetarian friendly, due to the use of animal byproducts in the metal-beating process. However, there are many brands of vegetarian gold and silver leaf available. Check the packaging before using it if you’re concerned about this. I use these ones.

Do I have to use food colour?

Of course not. Keep the colours natural if you prefer. Without food colour, the burfi will be an off-olive/beige colour due to the combination of pistachio butter and caramelised sugar and milk powder.

Why do you use blue food colour?

The tiniest speck of blue colour will neutralise yellow hues from caramelisation one the burfi mixture, bringing it back to a natural pistachio shade. You can then add a touch of green to bump up the pistachio colour so it’s obvious what flavour the burfi is.

Can I use pistachio flavouring?

If you like it! I haven’t found one I love just yet as no artificial flavouring has given me the true pistachio flavour I get from 100% pistachio butter. However, if you have found one you enjoy the flavour of, there’s not reason why you can’t add it.

Can I melt chocolate on top of this Pistachio Burfi?

Absolutely. I’d recommend keeping it thin so it doesn’t overpower the pistachio flavour.

How to tell if burfi is cooked

The easiest and most accurate way of checking if the burfi is done is to use a sugar or food thermometer. Although, if you do not have one, there is another way of checking if it is ready. Before you start cooking, place a small plate in the fridge. It needs to be cold. Once you think the burfi mixture is done, place a small blob of the mixture onto the fridge-cold plate. Finally, allow to cool for a minute and if you can remove it from the plate easily and roll it into a ball between your fingers, it’s ready to pour into the tin. If it’s not ready, continue to cook and check again using a cold plate.

Why won’t my burfi set?

If the burfi will not set after coming down to room temperature (3-4 hours), it has not been cooked long enough. Return it to the pan and continue to cook, stirring all the time until it reaches soft ball stage.

Why is my burfi hard?

Hard burfi is an indicator that the mixture has been overcooked.

Ingredients you’ll need for Pistachio Burfi

• Full-fat milk powder
• Whole milk (or pistachio milk – I use this brand)
• Icing sugar (powdered/confectioners’ sugar)
• Ghee
• Pistachio butter (not ground pistachios). I use this brand.
• Any neutral oil
• Green and blue food colour (optional)
• Gold/silver leaf (optional – check labels to ensure they are suitable for vegetarians). I use this brand.
• Pistachio nibs or sliced pistachios, to decorate

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Pistachio Burfi

An easy recipe for melt-in-the-mouth Indian milk fudge (burfi) made with REAL PISTACHIO. Perfect for gifting. Your family and friends will love it!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword burfi, festivals, fudge, mithai, pistachio

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 14

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• 23 x 15 x 5cm (9″ x 6″) brownie tin or thali
• Large, non-stick pan
• Wooden spoon

Ingredients

• 500 g full-fat milk powder
• 250 ml whole milk or pistachio milk
• 100 g icing sugar
• 125 g ghee
• 2 tbsp pistachio butter
• 1 tsp any neutral oil don’t use ghee or butter
• Green and blue food colour optional
• Gold/silver leaf optional
• Slivered, chopped or crushed pistachios, to garnish optional

Instructions

• Grease a 23 x 15 x 5cm (9″ x 6″) tin with oil.
• In a large, nonstick pan, heat together the ghee and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer but do not boil. Turn the heat down to low.
• Once hot, add the milk powder and icing sugar. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Any lumps will disappear as it cooks.
• Cook over a low heat until smooth and glossy, about 10 minutes. Stir all the time to ensure the mixture does not burn.
• Stir in the pistachio butter and continue to cook for a further minute. The burfi is done when it is glossy and reaches 118°C/235°F on a sugar thermometer. If you do not have a sugar thermometer, place a small amount of the mixture onto a very cold plate (keep one in the fridge) and if you are able to roll the mixture into a soft ball, it is ready.
• Remove from the heat and immediately stir in any food colours (if using). I used a combination of blue and green gel good colours to achieve a natural pistachio colour. A small amount of blue neutralises yellow tones from the caramelised milk powder for a more vivid pistachio hue. Food colour is optional. You do not have to add it if you don’t wish to.
• Pour the hot burfi mixture into the greased tin. Flatten the top down using the back of a spoon. Try to get the surface as even as possible. You can lightly grease the spoon with oil if it helps create a smooth surface. If you’re not using gold/silver leaf, you can press a small handful of crushed or slivered pistachios into the surface of the burfi at this stage.
• Allow to set at room temperature for 3-4 hours.
• Top with optional gold/silver leaf for an Indian mithai shop finish.
• Use a large, sharp knife to cut the burfi into pieces. I cut mine into 12 squares but you can cut these as small as 1cm x 1cm if you like. These tiny squares are perfect with coffee after dinner.

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If you like this Pistachio Burfi, you’ll love my Sweet Boondi recipe

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What is Kheer?

A bowl of kheer is like a comfort blanket for any Indian. Hot or cold, the spice-speckled milky rice is thinner and more flavoursome than the mass of bland rice pudding that enriches memories of school dinners.

Growing up, my mother would take Kheer to the temple as offerings at Diwali. After it was blessed, it would be distributed to people to eat. I don’t know whether it was because of the blessings or because we had to wait so long that made it taste more delicious. I’m leaning towards the latter.

What kind of rice should I use?

Traditionally, Kheer is made with basmati rice and not short-grain pudding rice. It can be made directly from washed and soaked aged basmati or with leftover cooked rice (less creamy than the former). Basmati rice makes a huge difference to the flavour of the Kheer and is what differentiates it from traditional western rice pudding recipes.

Mixing rice

Controversial disclosure: My recipe for Kheer uses a 50/50 combination of aged basmati and short-grain pudding rice. Not only does this add the fragrance of traditional Kheer, it also ensures a level of creaminess that makes me weak at the knees. Having said this, feel free to mix things up by using 100% basmati or 100% short-grain rice if you like. There are no hard and fast rules, only personal preferences. After all, the rice is just a carrier for copious amounts of milk and/or cream in any rice pudding recipe.

Rice pudding, remixed

Name a better combo than white chocolate and raspberries. I’ll wait. Stir chopped white chocolate through the cooked Kheer and allow it to melt into a liquid gold puddle right before your eyes. Not only does it smell like a chocolate shop, it also adds a silky, melted ganache vibe that demands the tart juiciness of fresh raspberries.

Serve the finished Kheer hot, warm or cold but most importantly, don’t forget the berries and extra chocolate shavings on top.

How can I veganise this White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer?

I haven’t tested a vegan version of this recipe. That being said, you could try it with almond milk and coconut cream. There are some wonderful vegan white chocolate brands available now. iChoc have a great one.

Ingredients you’ll need to make White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer

• Aged basmati rice
• Short-grain pudding rice
• Whole milk
• Sugar
• Cardamom
• Saffron
• Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• Raspberries
• White chocolate
• Dark chocolate
• Flaked almonds
• Chopped pistachios

How to make White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer

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White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer

White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer is an Indian-style rice pudding supercharged with spices, juicy berries and luxurious chocolate shavings.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chocolate, pudding, raspberries, rice, rice pudding, white chocolate

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Equipment

• Large, heavy-based saucepan

Ingredients

• 75 g aged basmati rice
• 75 g short-grain pudding rice
• 1.6 L full-fat milk
• 200 ml double cream
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 5 cardamom pods seeds removed and crushed
• 8-10 strands saffron
• 1 tbsp flaked almonds
• 1 tbsp chopped pistachios
• 100 g white chocolate chopped

Topping:

• 100 g fresh raspberries
• Shaved white chocolate
• Shaved dark chocolate

Instructions

• Mix the rice together in a bowl and rinse briefly. Don’t rinse away too much starch as this is what will make the Kheer creamy.
• Put the rice into a large, heavy-based saucepan. A non-stick pan is ideal as the milk will will be less likely to catch and burn at the base of the pan. Pour in the milk and add the sugar, cardamom, saffron and vanilla. Stir and bring to the boil.
• Stirring frequently, simmer the Kheer uncovered on a medium-low heat. Once it begins to thicken, you’ll need to stir more often. Once reduced to the consistency of thin porridge or cake batter, beat the Kheer with a wooden spoon until the grains are soft and tender. This isn’t the time for al dente rice.
• Switch off the heat and gently stir in the cream, nuts and chopped white chocolate. Continue to mix until melted. The cold cream will help reduce the temperature of the Kheer so the chocolate doesn’t seize up.
• Serve hot or cold with raspberries and chocolate shavings. I haven’t specified quantities for the chocolate shavings because let’s be honest, who am I to tell you how much chocolate to put on top?

Notes

• If you want sweeter Kheer, add 1 tbsp more sugar. Indeed, feel free to omit the sugar completely you don’t want to add it. The sweetness mostly comes from chocolate in this recipe.

• Add 2 tsp rosewater for a delicious raspberry and rose Kheer. It really is delicious this way.

• If you don’t like white chocolate, you could stir in chopped dark chocolate. You may need to adjust the sugar quantities slightly given that white chocolate is much sweeter than dark chocolate.

• For the chocolate shavings: Using a sharp knife, carefully scrape the back of a large chocolate bar starting at the side furthest from you. Keep your fingers and body out of the way and use two hands to scrape the surface with the knife, in a long motion. Alternatively, grate the chocolate using a microplane or use a vegetable peeler.

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Like this? You’ll love my Gulab Jamun Cake

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I’d like to apologise in advance because once you try these, there’s NO going back. Don’t @ me when you’ve eaten half the mixture out of the bowl before even pressing it into the tin. 

I’ve been tinkering with this recipe since Napoleon Dynamite was playing on the big screen (i.e. a long time ago). I spent hours making my own marshmallows and marshmallow fluff with varying degrees of success. I had a lot of failures; they consisted of marshmallow glob on the ceiling, two broken stand mixers and a LOT of sugar syrup. None of my attempts were as quick and easy as this one and that’s because I’ve left the sticky, tricky marshmallow making to the experts. Yep, all you need are a few bags of your favourite shop-bought vegan marshmallows, vegan margarine, rice cereal, vanilla and sprinkles. That’s it. You’re only five ingredients away from vegan rice krispie square heaven.

These chewy, gooey vegan rice krispie treats definitely get better with age. Is it weird that I like them the day after they’re made, after they’ve had time to absorb all the marshmallow goo and vanilla flavour? I like to be able to pull them apart with my fingers and nibble a little at a time.

How do I make quick vegan rice krispie squares?

The trick to gooey, chewy vegan rice krispie treats is ALL in the combo of vegan marshmallows to dairy-free margarine. Melt them together slowly and stir gently until the mixture is smooth and your arm feels like it might fall off (just kidding, it will take between 5-10 minutes). Be sure to stir GENTLY. Don’t beat it. The temperature should be low for slow and even melting. If it starts burning, the pan is too hot. Turn it down.

Use a silicone spatula to fold the rice krispies into the vegan marshmallow mixture while it’s still hot. Start by folding from the outside of the bowl to the centre. This will avoid unnecessary rice cereal smushing. Nobody likes unnecessary smushing, right?

Make sure your tin is greased and lined REALLY WELL for easy unmoulding when it comes to slicing the vegan rice krispie treats.

I use a tin at least 5cm deep because I can’t resist extra-thick vegan rice krispie treats. Use a shallower tin for thinner bars and more squares if you prefer. You can cut them to any size or shape you like. Tiny, bite-sized pieces are great for parties!

Scoop the mixture into the tin and use the flat surface of the spatula (greased with vegan margarine) to gently flatten the surface. You could also use the back of a spoon for this. Some people also use their hands (wet) but touching hot marshmallow gloop with bare hands isn’t something I recommend.

For a bigger marshmallow kick, toss an extra bag of mini marshmallows into the cereal mix. I love the ones by Freedom Mallows (not an ad, just a genuine recommendation). It’s such a treat, especially if you can find those mini pink and white vegan marshmallows.

How do I store these delicious vegan treats?

Once set, keep these vegan rice krispie treats in an airtight container and store in a cool place. They will soften over time so they’re best eaten within 48 hours of making them. The hard part is making them last this long, trust me.

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Vegan Rice Krispie Treats

These 30-minute Vegan Rice Krispie Treats are super THICK and extremely CHEWY. I’ve amped up the vanilla flavour with real vanilla bean paste for amazing flavour.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword bars, dairy free, easy, marshmallows, traybakes, vanilla, vegan

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 25

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 150 g crispy rice cereal
• 225 g vegan vanilla marshmallows
• 30 g vegan margarine
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• Your favourite sprinkles to decorate

Instructions

• Grease and line a 21cm (8-inch) square tin, about 5cm (2-inches) deep with nonstick baking parchment. In a large pan, melt the vegan margarine. Add the vegan marshmallows and vanilla and stir gently over a low heat until the marshmallows have completely melted and the mixture is smooth. It will feel like it won’t come together but be patient, it will. Switch the heat off.
• Fold in the rice krispies and mix with a silicone spatula until they are all completely coated.
• Turn out into the lined tin and using the back of a silicone spatula (grease it with some vegan margarine if you need to), smooth the top to make it flat. Press it gently to compact it slightly but not so much that you crush the cereal. Scatter your favourite sprinkles over the top if you’re feeling fancy.
• Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into squares as big or as small as your heart desires.

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What’s in this Indian-Inspired Rocky Road?

Truffle-like chocolate studded with pistachios, almonds, dried mango, crystallised ginger, Turkish delight, mini marshmallows and spiced shortbread biscuits. Dried rose petals top the Rocky Road off beautifully.

Last-minute Mithai

I’ve been known to leave things to the last minute at Diwali time when it’s customary to gift Indian sweets (“mithai”) to your nearest and dearest.

This recipe is a quick and easy raid-the-cupboard workaround that hits the spot when Pendas, Jalebis, Gulab Jamuns and Burfis are all too time consuming to make.

It’s also great for people who aren’t too keen on Indian sweets.

I’ve added all the things I love to this (namely pistachios, Nankhatai from the wonderful Chins’ Kitchen and Turkish delight) but you can swap any of these for what you like best.

Ways to Customise your Indian-Inspired Rocky Road

Other delicious mix-ins would be candied pineapple, coconut cookies and chopped dates. If you’re after a more authentic Indian sweet taste, add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom or cinnamon. This is your sweet treat to customise.

How to add jellies and marshmallows to Rocky Road

Freeze the Turkish delight pieces and mini marshmallows for about 2 hours before you start making these. This will help them keep their shape so you’ll get beautiful pink and white- studded pieces when you cut the Rocky Road.

Box it up for gifting

This Indian-inspired Rocky Road looks stunning when boxed up for gifting and even make a great after-dinner treat when you feel like dessert but are short of time.

How to store this Indian-Inspired Rocky Road at home

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge and they’ll keep well for up to 10 days, although I doubt they’ll last that long.

Follow me on Instagram for more Indian recipes!

After receiving a tonne of requests for Indian sweets through my latest Instagram Q&A session, I have a handful of Indian-style sweet recipes lined up, all in time for Diwali. I hold these Q&As regularly so make sure you’re following my Instagram Stories to tell me what you’d like to see next.

Indian-Inspired Rocky Road recipe

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Indian-Inspired Rocky Road

Truffle-like chocolate studded with pistachios, almonds, dried mango, crystallised ginger, Turkish delight, mini marshmallows and spiced shortbread biscuits. Dried rose petals top the Rocky Road off beautifully.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword chocolate, marshmallows, rocky road

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Chilling time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 300 g milk chocolate
• 300 g dark chocolate
• 140 g unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 100 g Turkish delight cubed
• 100 g Nankhatai broken
• 40 g toasted pistachios plus more for sprinkling on top
• 20 g toasted flaked almonds
• 20 g dried mango cut into 2cm pieces
• 20 g crystallised ginger cut into 2cm pieces
• 60 g gelatine-free mini marshmallows
• 2 tsp dried rose petals
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• In a freezer-safe container, freeze the Turkish delight pieces and mini marshmallows. This will help them keep their shape for pretty slices.
• Place the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. Give it a gentle stir every 5 minutes until melted and well combined. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
• Add the crushed Nankhatai, Turkish delight, nuts, dried mango, crystallised ginger and mini marshmallows. Combine to coat.
• Spread the mixture into a 9” x 6” brownie tin lined with greaseproof paper. Flatten the top and scatter with extra pistachios and dried rose petals.
• Cover and allow to set in the fridge for 6-8 hours.
• Slice however you like and serve with masala coffee.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for

Love Sanjana

The post Indian-Inspired Rocky Road appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

I’ve been away for a little while, still here but not here if you know what I mean. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know the story but if you don’t, here’s a really short round up. So for the last 6 months I’ve had this shooting pain across my right cheek. It’s like an electric current and unspeakably painful, and in my teeth too. After going back and forth to the dentist and GP who both championed OTC painkillers (why do they do that?! They are not the answer to everything and can mask real underlying issues!) I went to see a neurologist who confirmed that I have Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN). It’s a nerve disorder that causes facial pain and sometimes it gets really bad. Shitty, I know. If any of you have it, let’s chat. On the brighter side, I’m glad I have an answer and a plan going forward. Clear cut plans always make bad things feel much better don’t they?

Another thing that makes bad things better is a great breakfast. Most of you will already know that the only reason I get out of bed before ‪10am on Sundays is to eat a great breakfast. My favourites include Masala Poori with Potato Curry and Sweet Semolina, as well as Stuffed Paratha or Thepla and Chai. When I’m seeking to start my day with something a little sweeter, I always look to my sweet spice tin. It’s a box dedicated to the spices I use less often in making savoury dishes and one of the best things in my kitchen.

Inside, you’ll find whole cardamom, red saffron threads in a little clear box etched with gold writing, fresh cinnamon, ground mace, vanilla in three forms: whole pods, bean extract ( a gorgeous sticky-sweet syrup peppered with thousands of beans from inside the pod) and basic vanilla extract for when a recipe calls for something simpler. In a cabinet reserved for sweet stuff, I also stash away almonds (whole, flaked, ground and shredded Indian style), cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, mixed citrus peel, chocolate chips, and so many other treasures. Can you tell why it’s the best spot in the house for me?

We had a cupboard like this in my family home when I was young and when I couldn’t sleep, my mum would always go in there, grab a few things and make Sweet, Spiced Milk. It was just milk simmered with ground cardamom, saffron, a little bit of sugar and some shredded almonds. Simple but among my favourite memories because I can still *feel* it… if that even makes sense. A memory so vivid, I can still feel what I felt back then, still smell and taste the milk and each time, I smile the same smile.

I’ve used that sweet milk as inspiration for this delicious breakfast that would get me out of bed any day of the week. It’s coconut milk infused with ground cardamom and saffron. A little bit of sugar is added before it’s cooled and some flour is whisked in. Stale bread is our friend here because it’s dunked in the spiced milk until soaked and pan-fried until golden on both sides. It’s French toast without the eggs and it’s so delicious! If you’ve ever eaten Shahi Tukra and love the sweet milk of Rasmalai, you’ll like this… and this takes a fraction of the time cook. Not forgetting the deal breaker that is, YOU CAN EAT IT FOR BREAKFAST! We’re all winners.

I love these topped with strawberries and maple syrup but you can add any toppings you like. Fruit is always a delicious choice but I won’t tell if you scatter a few chocolate chips on top.

Vegan Cardamom and Saffron French Toast
Serves 4 (2 slices per serving)

Ingredients
400ml can coconut milk
4 cardamom pods, seeds ground
Big pinch of saffron
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp flour
8 slices of stale bread
Vegan butter or oil for the pan (coconut oil or sunflower oil are good options)

Toppings of your choice

I used:
Fresh strawberries
Icing sugar for dusting
Maple syrup

Method

1. Heat the coconut milk in a pan until hot but not boiling. Add the cardamom, saffron, sugar, and salt. Allow to sit until the milk cools to room temperature.

2. Whisk in the flour until there are no lumps. Pour the mixture in to a shallow tray. I used a large, wide baking dish.

3. Melt butter or heat a teaspoon full of oil in a non-stick frying pan.

4. Dunk a slice of bread in to the coconut milk mixture, both sides ensuring it soaks in a good amount. About 30-40 seconds should do the trick.

5. Place the bread in the pan and cook on both sides until golden brown. Repeat for the rest.

6. Serve with any toppings you like. I love these with strawberries and maple syrup. You could also dust with a snowstorm of icing sugar.

Enjoy you dessert for breakfast!

Love Sanjana

The post Vegan Saffron French Toast appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.