Ingredients:

• 2lbs – ricotta cheese
• 1 cup – Sugar (adjust to your taste)
• 1/2 gallon – whole Milk
• 1 quart – half and half
• Kesar
• Pistachio
• a little elaichi (cardamom) powder

Method:

1. For malai:
2. Mix the cheese with 1/2 cup of sugar and a little cardamom powder. Mix the above ingredients for a few minutes with a regular spoon (approximately 3 minutes) until well-blended.
3. Spread out on a baking tray.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until it sets. It should not get brown.
5. Remove from oven, cool at room temperature, and cut into 2-inch squares.
6. Place them in a dessert bowl.
7. For ras:
8. Mix whole milk and half and half and simmer it on low heat until milk thickens.
9. Stir occasionally.
10. Add 1 (or adjust as per your taste) cup of sugar along with kesar to the thickened milk.
11. Stir well and boil for the milk for a few minutes.
12. Let the milk cool down.
13. Pour the cool milk in the dessert bowl over malai squares.
14. Garnish with pistachio and elaichi before serving.
15. Serve chilled.

Recipe courtesy of Archana Mukherjee