How to Make Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamun is a popular traditional dessert in South Asian countries like India and Pakistan, as well as Caribbean countries like Trinidad and Jamaica. In Indian culture, this delicious dessert is often made on festive days like Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi. However, if you like, you can also make this sweet treat yourself to enjoy whenever you want:

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 2 hours (frying time: 3-15 minutes)
Total time: 2-3 hours

Table of Contents

Ingredient

Dough

1 cup Carnation milk powder
1/2 cup Bisquick flour (or 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup full cream milk
Vegetable oil for frying

syrup

2 cups sugar
1 cup of water
4-5 nutmeg
5 tablespoons rose water
A little saffron powder

Decorate

A few pistachios

Prepare the Syrup and Dough

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Heat sugar, water, nutmeg, saffron powder and rose water for 5 minutes. Stir to combine ingredients. Do not overheat to avoid caramelizing the syrup. If the mixture starts to caramelize, you should add a little rose water and stir well.

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Turn off the stove. Set the syrup aside and get it ready to soak the balls in. Or you can keep the syrup warm by placing it over low heat.

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Mix milk powder, Bisquick flour and butter together. Mix the ingredients in the bowl. It is recommended to melt the butter first to make it easier to mix. These ingredients will create a special texture for the cake.

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Pour whole milk into the dry ingredients mixture until it forms a paste. Continue mixing until the dough is thick and creamy. If the dough is not creamy yet, add a little more milk and stir until the dough is smooth.

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Divide the dough into 20 parts. There is no need to divide exactly into 20 equal parts. You just need to break the dough into 20 parts and then roll into balls. Try to roll the dough into a ball that is smaller than a lemon because the dough will swell up when fried.

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Roll each part of the dough into a ball. Simply place the dough on your hand and roll into a ball with your other hand or roll the dough out on a flat surface like a cutting board. Try to roll the dough very smooth because if it cracks, the cake will fall apart when soaked in the syrup. Ideally, you should spread oil or buffalo milk on the palm of your hand before rolling the dough. Then, place the dough balls on a plate and prepare to fry.

Fried Cake

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Heat the oil. Reduce heat to low or medium when the oil is hot enough. You can use vegetable oil or mix vegetable oil with buffalo milk in a ratio of 1:1. It is recommended to keep the fire low or medium to avoid the oil splashing too much.

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Slowly add the dough balls into the hot oil. Be careful when frying in hot oil. You should stand away from the pan to avoid oil splashes. You can use a spatula or spoon with holes to press the dough ball into the oil.

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Let the dough sink to the bottom of the pan. While frying, do not try to make the dough rise because they will automatically rise to the surface of the oil.

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Fry the dough for about 3 minutes. Continue to stir until the cake is cooked evenly. Do not fry too much at once because the dough will expand, reduce the oil temperature and the cake will become mushy. The cake must be browned evenly on all sides. Finally, take out the cooked cake. Using a spoon with holes is best to drain off the oil.

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Place the cake on a paper towel. This step will help absorb excess oil. You can use a paper towel to absorb the oil on the cake.

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Heat the syrup over low heat. You can warm up or leave the syrup on a low heat while frying.

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Pour warm syrup into a serving bowl. You can also use plates, bowls, or deep trays.

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Soak Gulab Jamun in syrup for about 1-2 hours. The cake should be completely absorbed with the syrup. Some people even soak the cake in syrup overnight for the cake to fully absorb.

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Enjoy. When the Gulab Jamun has been soaked long enough in the syrup, you can bring it out and enjoy. You can garnish with a few pistachios before serving. Cake can be eaten alone or served with cream or yogurt. Gulab Jamun will taste best when eaten hot. If you have leftovers, you can cover them with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Advice

Preparation time: Approximately 1 hour, plus overnight time
Servings: 2 cakes per person
Recipe portion: 10 cakes

Warning

Be careful when frying the cake.