Bhapa Sandesh |Steamed & Sweetened Paneer

Bengali sweets are famous with everyone as they have the best sweet dishes. At some point we would have enjoyed an dessert thats a bengali base. 

Most of the bengali sweets are based with milk, for example rasmalai, rasgulla, bhapa doi and bhapa sandesh. 

This bhapa sandesh is nothing but sweetened paneer mixture with the lovely flavours of cardamom and saffron. It melts in your mouth and you will not even feel that your overeating it 😁. 

The saffron on top not only gives a beautiful golden hue but it contrites a lovely flavour to the sandesh. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 liter full fat milk

5 tbsp powdered sugar 

¼ cup lemon juice or vinegar

¼ cup water

½ tsp cardamom powder

1 fat pinch saffron

¼ cup milk

¼ tsp ghee to grease

METHOD

Bring the milk to a boil.

Meanwhile prepare the lemon juice or vinegar mixed with ¼ cup water and grease the plate or silicone mould with some ghee.

Once the milk comes to a boil add half of the diluted lemon juice/vinegar to the milk and give it a nice mix.

After a while add in the remaining lemon juice to the milk and mix. Once the mix has seperated into curds and whey, switch off the heat.

Using a cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer strain the curdled milk. I used a nut milk bag. You can either let this strain by hanging for 30 mins or take a bowl with some ice cold water and dip the cloth into the cold water to cool immediately and squeeze the whey.

Now our paneer/chena is ready. It will be crumbly in texture.

Add the paneer into a blender jar along with the sugar, cardamom powder and milk. Blend it to a fine pourable consistency mixture.

Transfer the mixture to the greased pan and sprinkle the saffron on top.

Cover the pan using an foil and seal it on all sides.

Prepare the steamer, i used my instant pot to steam but you can use your regular pressure cooker without the whistle or even an idly cooker will work.

Steam this for 30 mins. After the steaming shift this to the fridge for atleast an hour before serving.

Enjoy the Bhapa Sandesh nice and cold.