Chef’s Signature Rasmalai
Reimagined rasmalai — a flavored milk-based Indian sweetened cottage cheese sponge along with strawberry lime compote, almond crémeux, and pistachio joconde.
Equipment
- Round pastry molds
- Acetate sheets
- Accurate thermometer
- Professional oven settings
- Sheet or powdered gelatin
- 24 × 32 cm (9½ × 12½ in) baking pans
Ingredients
Rasmalai Milk:
- 400 ml whole milk
- 80 ml condensed milk
- 50 g caster sugar
- 0.20 g saffron
- 1 g cardamom powder
- 20 g pistachio
Rasmalai Sponge:
- 250 g whole egg
- 160 g caster sugar
- 2 g vanilla extract
- 150 g cake flour
- 60 g butter melted
- 1 g cardamom powder
- 0.1 g saffron
- 60 g chenna
Strawberry and Lime Compote:
- 150 g strawberry puree
- 500 g strawberry chopped
- 50 ml lime juice
- 150 g caster sugar
- 2 g vanilla extract
- 5 gelatin sheets
- 10–12 g pectin (if firmer texture is needed)
Almond Whipped Ganache:
- 125 ml heavy cream
- 15 g invert sugar
- 15 g liquid glucose
- 55 g white chocolate
- 2 sheets gelatin 200 bloom
- 15 g cocoa butter
- 225 ml heavy cream cold
- 1 g vanilla extract
- 85 g almond paste marzipan
White Chocolate Glaze:
- 12.5 g gelatin powder
- 85 ml cold water
- 150 g caster sugar
- 150 g liquid glucose
- 150 g white chocolate
- 105 ml condensed milk
- 2 g white color
Pistachio and Moriga Joconde:
- 160 g egg yolk
- 100 g whole egg
- 140 g caster sugar
- 100 g melted butter
- 240 g egg white
- 120 g caster sugar
- 300 g pistachio powder
- 10 g moringa powder
- 40 g cake flour
Strawberry Chocolate Flower:
- 200 g Valrhona strawberry inspiration
Garnishes:
- pistachio flakes
- saffron sprigs
- marigold flower
Instructions
For the Rasmalai Milk:
- In a saucepan, heat milk and condensed milk over low heat, stirring constantly. Reduce to ¾ of the original volume.
- Add sugar, saffron, cardamom, and pistachios. Cook 5 minutes more.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Serve chilled.
For the Rasmalai Sponge:
- Beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture reaches a ribbon consistency (thick and falls slowly from the whisk).
- Add vanilla extract, then gently fold in the cake flour, saffron, and cardamom powder.
- Finish by folding in the melted butter, then gently fold in the crumbled chenna.
- Pour the batter into a 24 × 32 cm / 9½ × 12½ in baking pan lined with aluminum foil.
- If using a professional Rational oven, bake on sponge mode for 16 minutes.
- If using a conventional oven, preheat to 160 °C / 320 °F and bake for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the sponge to a cooling rack, allow to cool completely, then refrigerate.
- Once chilled, cut into 2¼-inch (about 6 cm) circles.
For the Strawberry and Lime Compote:
- In a saucepan, combine strawberry purée, sugar, and pectin. Bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, vanilla extract, and hydrated gelatin sheets.
- Pour the mixture into a 20 × 35 cm / 8 × 14 in lined tray.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours before use.
- Once firm, cut into 2¼-inch (about 6 cm) circles.
For the Almond Whipped Ganache:
- In a small saucepan, bring 125 g / ½ cup cream to a boil with invert sugar, glucose syrup, and a split vanilla bean.
- Soak a gelatin leaf in cold water until soft.
- Place white chocolate, cocoa butter, and the softened gelatin in a bowl.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate mixture and blend with a hand blender until smooth.
- Add almond paste, then gradually pour in the remaining cold cream (about 125 g / ½ cup) while blending to create a perfect emulsion.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before use.
For the White Chocolate Glaze:
- Soak gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes to bloom.
- In a saucepan, bring water, caster sugar, and glucose syrup to a boil at 102 °C / 216 °F.
- Pour the hot syrup over white chocolate and gelatin, then blend until smooth.
- Gradually add condensed milk and white food coloring, blending again for a glossy finish.
- Strain and store in a heatproof plastic container until ready to use.
For the Pistachio and Moringa Joconde:
- In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, beat egg yolks, whole eggs, and 140 g / ⅔ cup sugar until light and fluffy.
- Fold in pistachio powder, moringa powder, and cake flour.
- In a separate clean bowl, beat egg whites with 120 g / ½ cup sugar until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the meringue into the batter.
- Spread the mixture evenly into a 24 × 32 cm / 9½ × 12½ in lined baking pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven (Rational sponge mode or 160 °C / 320 °F) for 20 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack, then cut into 2¼-inch (about 6 cm) circles.
For the Strawberry Chocolate Flower (Garnish):
- Melt and temper strawberry-flavored white chocolate to 29 °C / 84 °F.
- Spread a 2 mm / 1⁄16 inch layer on an acetate sheet and cut out flower shapes using a plunger cutter.
- Let them crystallize until firm and shiny. Use for garnish.
Rasmalai Pastry Assembly:
- Place the six cut circles of rasmalai sponge in a flat tray, pour half of the rasmalai milk over them, let them soak, then freeze until solid. Once frozen, stack each sponge circle with a layer of strawberry–lime compote on top.
- Whip the almond ganache to a medium-peak consistency.
- Take a round oblate-shaped pastry mold and fill it halfway with almond ganache, then insert the frozen rasmalai sponge with the strawberry–lime insert in the center, and freeze the mold overnight.
- Warm the glaze, blend it with a hand blender until smooth, bring it to 35°C / 95°F, unmold the pastry, and dip it into the glaze, ensuring there are no bubbles.
Assembly:
- Place the pistachio–moringa sponge disc in the center of the plate, then layer the milk disc, the glazed pastry, and finally the chocolate ring on top.
- Scatter pistachio slices and saffron sprigs randomly over the glazed pastry.
- Pour 45 ml / 1.5 fl oz of rasmalai milk into a small pourer for serving.
Notes
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