Rasgulla Recipe | Caramel Soft Rasgulla

Rasgulla is a popular Indian sweet dish made from chenna (Indian cottage cheese) balls cooked in light sugar syrup. It is a soft, spongy, and delicious treat that is enjoyed by people of all ages.

Rasgulla is made by boiling chenna balls in a sugar syrup until they become soft and spongy. The syrup is then flavored with rose water and other spices.

Rasgulla is a delicious and versatile sweet dish that can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a larger meal. Rasgulla is typically served chilled, and it is often garnished with nuts.

To make rasgulla, first curdle milk and separate the chenna (cottage cheese) from the whey. Then, knead the chenna and roll it into balls. Finally, cook the balls in sugar syrup until they are soft and spongy.

Rasgulla is a delicious and festive treat that is sure to please everyone. Although the rasgulla was first made in Odisha, there is a lot of debate about where it originated. In this Rasgulla recipe post, I have mentioned both the Odia and Bengali rasgulla.

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What is the difference between Odia and Bengali rasgulla?

Odia Rasgulla and Bengali Rasgulla, while both delightful variations of the same sweet, exhibit distinct differences in terms of texture, flavor, and preparation.

Odia Rasgulla:

1. The Odia version of Rasgulla is known for its exceptionally soft and spongy texture. It’s renowned for being incredibly light and airy, almost dissolving in the mouth.
2. Odia rasagola has a delicate and subtle sweetness that allows the flavor of the chenna (cottage cheese) to shine through. The emphasis is on the milk’s natural essence.
3. The process of making Odia rasagola involves kneading the chenna thoroughly to achieve a smooth and pliable texture. The balls of chenna are then cooked gently in sugar syrup, allowing them to absorb the syrup gradually and create the iconic sponginess.

Bengali Rasgulla:

1. Bengali Rasgulla, on the other hand, tends to be slightly denser and more compact compared to its Odia counterpart.
2. Bengali Rasgulla is often soaked in a sweeter sugar syrup, resulting in a more pronounced sweetness that complements the mild chenna flavor.
3. Bengali Rasgulla is made by kneading the chenna slightly, resulting in a slightly firmer texture. The chenna balls are cooked in sugar syrup as well, but the syrup is usually thicker and sweeter.

Both versions of Rasgulla have their unique charm and are beloved by sweet lovers. The differences in texture and flavor make each variety a distinct one, and both hold a special place in the hearts and palates of those who savor them.

My Rasgulla Recipe:

Rasgulla is a delicious Indian dessert made from milk balls cooked in sugar syrup. For the rasgulla recipe, milk is curdled to make chenna, a type of fresh cottage cheese. The chenna is then kneaded with all-purpose flour and shaped into balls. These chenna balls are cooked in sugar syrup and flavored with cardamom.

In this rasgulla recipe post, I have shared the best ever spongy and juicy rasgulla with all the tips and tricks. So that on the first try, you can achieve the perfect juicy, soft, and spongy rasgulla at your home. I have given a creamy color to my rasgulla which looks different from the white version of rasgulla. I have used caramel sugar for making the sugar syrup. This type of rasgulla looks more attractive than the white rasgulla. This rasgulla recipe gives you a melt-in-mouth rasgulla to prepare easily that a novice can prepare on their own.

After the milk curdles, pour it on a thin muslin cloth. Drain the whey and add normal water to it so the sourness of lemon or vinegar can drain out. Drain out all the extra water present in the chenna firmly. Rest the chenna for some time. The chenna should be dry, but not hard to make a perfect rasgulla. Meanwhile, prepare sugar syrup for rasgulla. I am using all-purpose flour before giving it the shape of rasgulla. All-purpose flour makes the rasgulla soft and spongy. Even after storing in the freeze, it keeps the rasgulla soft and spongy for days.

You can easily store the rasgulla in an air-tight container for a week. You can prepare for many festivals like Dussehra, and Diwali and enjoy the lovely treat with friends and family.

How to Make Rasgulla?

For the ease of readers I have divided the whole rasgulla recipe in four different parts.

1. Preparing chenna for rasgulla
2. Kneading chenna and making rasgulla balls
3. Making sugar syrup
4. Boiling chenna balls for rasgulla

Preparing Chenna for Rasgulla

1. Pour 1 liter of milk into a pan and heat it gently until it starts to boil. Use full-fat milk to get good quality and quantity of chenna.
   
2. Stir the milk occasionally to prevent it from forming a foamy layer or burning at the bottom.
   
3. When the milk boils, lower the heat, and add 1 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more if needed until the milk curdles.
   
4. Once the milk curdles completely, turn off the heat. You’ll see green watery liquid along with the curdled milk.
   
5. Cover a strainer with a thin muslin cloth and place it on a bowl.
6. Pour the curdled milk on the cloth-lined strainer.
7. Rinse the curdled milk with running water to cool it down and remove the lemony taste.
   
8. Squeeze out excess water from the curdled milk.
   
9. Put something heavy on top of the curdled milk for 7 to 8 minutes or hang it for about 20 minutes.
10. After draining, remove the cloth. The texture should be just right, not too wet or too dry.

Kneading Chenna and Making Rasgulla Balls

11. Place the dry chenna on a big plate and crumble it.

12. Add 1 tbsp all-purpose flour to the chenna. It makes the rasgulla soft and spongy. You can use semolina instead of all-purpose flour.

13.Mix the all-purpose flour with the chenna and start kneading for 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle some water if the chenna is too dry. Knead until it’s smooth. Use your palm for kneading and make a smooth dough. 

14. Kneading is a crucial step that can make or break your rasgulla. If you want soft and spongy rasgulla then knead the chenna properly, so that there are no breakages in the chenna balls after giving it shape.
15. Make sure the chenna is not watery, otherwise, you can not give a perfect round shape to the rasgulla.
16. Make small lemon-sized chenna balls. The chenna balls increase in size later when boiled in the sugar syrup.

Making Sugar Syrup

17. In a big pot or kadai add a tablespoon of sugar and let it caramelize. The caramelized sugar really gives a beautiful color to the rasgullas. You can also make the sugar syrup without caramelized sugar. 

I highly recommend caramelizing before making the sugar syrup, because as a food lover, I know we taste the food through our eyes first and then we eat it. It means we are attracted to the food which looks different and beautiful and want to try it. Isn’t it true?

18. After sugar caramelizes to a beautiful golden color carefully add a cup of water and mix properly.

19. For making sugar syrup add another 4 cups of water. 

20. Now pour a cup of sugar into the water and let it boil until all sugar melts.

21. Once the sugar solution is hot, impurities will float to the top. You can remove them with a spoon or strain the solution through a cloth-lined strainer. If there are no impurities, skip this step.
22. Add 3-4 crushed cardamom in the sugar syrup to make it aromatic. You can use some rose water also.

Boiling Chenna Balls for Rasgulla

23. Gently put the rasgulla balls into the boiling sugar solution. Do not pour all the rasgullas at a time. Because it can lower the temperature of sugar syrup. So place all the balls with an interval of some seconds.

24. Don’t stir them. They will float automatically. Stirring can break the rasgulla.
25. Cover the pot and let the rasgulla cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Timing and temperature play an important role in the rasgulla recipe.

26. After 5 minutes, cook for 15 minutes on medium flame. Don’t open the lid while cooking rasgulla.
27. After 20 minutes open the lid and turn the rasgulla. So on both sides, rasgulla looks the same color. 
28.  Cover the lid and again cook rasgulla for 5 minutes on medium flame.
29. In total, the rasgulla balls cook for about 25 minutes until they expand in size and turn to a caramelized creamy color on both sides.

FAQs:

How should I store Rasgulla?

Store Rasgulla in the sugar syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh and delicious.

What kind of milk to use for rasgulla?

To make Rasgulla, the type of milk you use is an important factor in achieving the right texture and taste. Traditionally, Rasgulla is made using whole milk. It contains the natural fat content that contributes to the richness and creaminess of the Rasgulla. The fat in the milk helps in achieving a soft and spongy texture in the rasgulla. 

Rasgulla made with low-fat milk may result in less creaminess and slightly less soft compared to those made with whole milk.

Rasgulla made with skimmed milk has a less creamy and slightly chewy texture compared to whole milk.

How to make the rasgulla soft?

Kneading is the most crucial step in a rasgulla recipe. Use the heels of your palms and mash and knead the Chenna until it becomes smooth. Kneading helps to create a smooth and soft texture.

The Chenna should have the right consistency – not too dry or too wet.

When you put the Chenna balls in the sugar syrup, make sure to cook them for the right amount of time. Typically, they need about 25 minutes to become soft and spongy. Don’t overcook rasgulla as that can make them hard.

Use all-purpose flour before kneading the chenna which makes the rasgulla soft even after freezing it.

How moist should the chenna be for perfect rasgulla?

If the chenna is too wet, it will be challenging to shape it into balls, and the rasgulla may become too soft and break apart while cooking. To correct this, you can add a little more semolina (sooji) or all-purpose flour (maida) and knead it in. This will help absorb the extra moisture.

If the chenna is too dry, it can result in rasgulla that’s hard instead of soft and spongy. To fix this, you can sprinkle a little water while kneading to add moisture.

How to check if the rasgulla is ready?

Rasgulla should increase in size during cooking. They will puff up and become larger. This is a good indicator that they are cooking properly.

If you’re unsure, you can do a float test. Carefully place one rasgulla in a bowl of cold water. If it sinks to the bottom and stays there, it’s not fully cooked. If it floats on the surface or near the top, it’s done. A floating Rasgulla is usually a good sign that it’s soft and spongy inside.

What is the consistency of sugar syrup for rasgulla?

The syrup should not reach the thread or string consistency. This means it shouldn’t form threads when you touch it between your fingers. It should remain in a liquid form.