Festival season is on and you will find varieties of Indian desserts, mithais or sweets confectioners in all textures, shapes, and color. All these colorful decadent treats are irresistible. I have already posted a Rasgulla recipe on blog check the recipe.
Today I'm posting a new flavor of Cham Cham which is a stuffed sandwich, has a Rose flavor and color. Cham Cham or chom chom is a Bengali delicacy. These pink cham chams are delicately laced with the flavor of cardamom and rose water.
What's the difference between a Rasgulla and a Cham Cham?Rasgullas are round and fluffier they are not stuffed. While cham chams are oval/ rectangular in shape and are stuffed with a filling. The outer covering /raw materials are identical though, its all about how you make them. Traditionally most Bengali sweets the basic process of making are the same. The state of West Bengal in India is famous for its milk sweets like Rasgulla, Sandesh and other curdled milk mithais.
Serves 5
Ingredients
For The Chena / Soft Paneer / Cottage Cheese
1 Liter Full Fat Milk
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice or White Vinegar
For the Sugar Syrup
1 Cup Sugar
3 Cups Water
1 Teaspoon Corn Flour or All Purpose Flour
For The Filling
To Make The Homemade Instant Mawa / Khoya
½ Cup Full Fat Milk Powder
1 Tablespoon Milk
4 Teaspoons Condensed Milk
1 Tablespoon Desi Ghee
2 Drops Rose Essence
A Drop Red Food Color
Method
To Make The Chena/ Fresh Paneer
Boil whole milk in a heavy bottom pan, stirring continuously so that the milk does not stick at the bottom of the pan. Once it comes to a boil, switch off the flame let is rest for 2 - 3 minutes.
After two to three minutes. Add lemon juice gradually and keep stirring and let the milk curdle. Let it cool down and allow the milk to separate.
Place cheesecloth on a mesh strainer and strain the water. Rinse it under running water to remove the sourness of lemon juice and squeeze off the excess liquid. You can also hang it so that all the excess water drains off. Then take the chena in your hand and squeeze out remaining water slowly.
Let it sit until we make the sugar syrup.
To Make The Sugar Syrup In a large pan mix sugar and water. Allow the sugar to dissolve and bring to a boil.
As the syrup is cooking let's work with the Chena. Take the chena into a plate and add the corn flour, knead until smooth for 5-6 minutes. Make it lump free and smooth dough, the small piece of dough when roll should be crack free. So knead it really very well.
Divide this dough into 5 equal parts/balls Make rectangular shape / oval shape cham cham. You can also make any other shape you like. Roll this well first and then shape it rectangular.
To Cook The Cham Cham
Once the sugar syrup boils and the sugar melts.
Gently slide in the prepared cham cham to it, cover and cook for 8 minutes on high flame.
After 8 minutes open the pan, flip each cham cham and cover and cook again for another 8 minutes on medium high flame. After 8 minutes, switch off the flame and let it rest with the lid on, cool it down completely. Let the cham cham remain in the sugar syrup for about an hour or more. They should cool down completely before you fill them.
To Make The Filling / To Make The Homemade Instant Mawa / Khoya
Check the recipe of the traditional method of making Mawa / Khoya on this blog.Mix all the given ingredients well together.
In a heavy pan add the prepared mixture and cook it for 2 -3 minutes on medium low flame. Keep stirring continuously till it thickens and start to form a ball. It should be soft so do not cook it too long. Remove this into a plate and let is cool down. Add the rose essence, food color and mix well to get a uniform color. Our filling is ready now. Divide this into 5 equal parts, roll each into a rectangular shape smaller then the cham cham.Remove the cham cham's on a wire mesh place it on a large plate to catch all the sugar syrup or else the counter top will become messy. Let all the syrup drain for about 5 minutes.
Take each cham cham and slit it halfway through lengthwise. Fill in the stuffing and decorate with sliver warq or nuts or glazed cherries. Rose Cham Cham are ready. Serve & Enjoy! Rose Cham Cham taste best when chilled. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
My Notes
Use full-fat milk for this recipe
If you have ready store bought mava/khoya then grate - a100 to 150 grams of it this well just add 2 - 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar and mix well, taste for sweetness add more according to your taste, add essence and food color. Labels: Sweets & Desserts, Indian, Festival Sweets, Foodie Extravaganza Party, Paneer, Mawa, Homemade
For Foodie Extravaganza our theme this month is Simply Desserts!
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