Rasmalai is a simple Indian dessert that is best described as dumplings in a sweet milk sauce. Traditional ingredients include cottage cheese, ricotta cheese or an Indian cheese called paneer in the dumplings, and whole milk in the milk sauce. While using low- or no-fat cheese in the dumplings is one option for reducing fat levels in this dessert, using milk powder in both the dumplings and milk sauce can reduce overall fat levels even further.
Stir to combine the milk powder and baking powder in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Add the beaten egg and olive oil. Stir until the ingredients form a soft dough.
Work the dough with your hands for two to three minutes until the dough loses its sticky texture and becomes firm and smooth.
Separate and shape the dough into 15 to 18 dumplings about the size of a walnut. Press each all lightly with your fingers to flatten each dumpling just slightly.
Add the milk, sugar or sugar substitute and cardamom to a large saucepan.
Turn your stove burner to medium-high heat and add the dumplings when the milk just starts to boil.
Boil the dumplings for about one minute or until they start to increase in size, then reduce the stove burner to medium.
Simmer the dumplings and milk sauce for 10 minutes just below boiling point.
Add the Kewra essence or rosewater.
Transfer the saucepan to a wire rack and let it cool slightly before placing the rasmalai in your refrigerator to chill completely before serving.
Tips
To reconstitute milk powder for the sauce, stir 1 cup of nonfat milk powder into 4 cups of cold water.
Kewra essence is an oil-based Indian seasoning that may require a trip to an Asian or Indian specialty market to purchase.
