Gulab jamuns sweet dessert balls made from milk solids soaked with an aromatic syrup Infused with with green cardamom.
Gulab jamuns are one of the most popular sweets in Subcontinent. Its a must have for weddings, celebrations and festivals. And sometimes you just don’t need any occasion to enjoy this scrumptious sweet. Just simply enjoy it as a treat with tea or dessert after dinner.
This is an easy recipe for homemade Gulab jamuns made by milk powder.
Ingredients for Gulab Jamuns
Traditionally gulab jamuns are made from milk solids called Khoya. Which is made by reducing milk for several hours until all the water evaporates, leaving behind the milk solids. Since Khoya is not readily available Milk powder is the closest alternate.
Milk Powder – Full fat milk powder is the main ingridients.
Plain Flour – All purpose Flour or plain flour is required to help bind the mixture and keep the balls together.
Baking Powder – Is required to help the Gulab jamuns to rise.
Egg- help the mixture hold together.
Ghee – a tablespoon of ghee also helps prevent mixture being sticky. You can also use oil or melted butter.
Oil – for deep frying.
How to Make Perfect Gulab Jamuns
The recipe for Gulab jamuns is very simple with minimum ingredients and short cooking time as compared to other Pakistani/Indian desserts. But there are many mistakes that are commonly made resulting in Gulab jamuns that could be hard or they break apart or they are hard in the center. I have been guilty of all these mistakes and I have given my takeaway advice to ensure that you don’t have these problems.
- Measure Measure Measure ! No estimates at all !So make sure you use exact quantity using measuring cups and spoons. Also you can double the ingredients to make twice the quantity as long as you stick to the right proportions.
- Its ok for dough to be sticky. Hard dough means hard Gulab jamuns. So don’t be tempted to add any extra milk powder or flour. Once you roll them with greased palms it will stop sticking to your hands.
- The egg should be room temperature. If you plan to make it in advance leave the egg out of the fridge, couple of hours before. But if you decide to make it in spur of the moment ( just like I did) put the egg in luke warm water for around 10 minutes.
- Check your Baking powder you are using might be old and probably expired. ( yes that’s right, happened few times to me without realizing) So do check expiry dates on your baking powder.
- Lastly the temperature of oil has to be right. If the oil is too hot, it will cook the outsides but the inside will remain uncooked and you will have Gulab jamuns with hard centers.
Making Ahead and Storing Gulab Jamuns
Gulab Jamuns are great make ahead sweet if you are planning to entertain. You can make it a day or even two days before. No need to refrigerate as they are soaked in syrup they will not go off. Just warm them for 30 – 40 sec (depending on your microwave) and they are good to serve.
Watch How to Make Them
Other Desserts to Try:
Firni (Rice Pudding)
Carrot Halwa | Gajar Halwa
Rasmalai
Jalebi
Gulab Jamuns
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Slightly heaped full fat milk powder
- 1 tbsp Slightly heaped plainflour
- 1 Large Egg Room Temperature
- 1/2 tsp Levelled Baking Powder
- 1 tbsp melted butter or ghee
For Sugar Syrup
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 3 Cardamoms Whole
Instructions
For Sugar Syrup
- Add water to a saucepan and put sugar and cardamom. Keep the heat medium high and stir until sugar dissolves.
- When the sugar is dissolved turn the heat medium high and let the syrup simmer.
- Once the syrup is simmering and you can see its bubbling. Turn the stove off and cover to keep it warm.
For Milk Balls
- Put oil in the pan for deep frying. Keep the heat very low. (See notes)
- Add milk powder, baking powder and plain flour in the mixing bowl and mix them together.
- Add melted butter and egg. Mix it gently using hands.
- The dough will come together and will have sticky consistency. (See Notes)
- Roll the dough into log shape and cut 12 small portions. Leave a tiny bit of dough which we will be used to test the temperature of the oil.
- Grease your palms with cooking oil and roll the balls. Make sure there are no cracks.
- Put a tiny tester ball in the oil to check the temperature of the oil. (See Notes) You should see that tiny ball will sink to bottom and there should be bubbles around it. And after few seconds it starts to float. This means that oil temperature is right.
- Once all balls are rolled out put them in oil together. At first they will sink but will start to float as they are cooking.
- Gently use frying spoon to rotate them ensuring they get nice colour evenly.
- Strain them with frying spoon and put them immediately into sugar syrup. Make sure the Sugar syrup is not cold. (See Notes)
- Once all Gulab jamuns are in the syrup cover the pan with lid and allow them to soak the syrup.
- Dish it out gently in your serving tray. (See notes) Sprinkle them with finely chopped pistachios.
Notes
- Put the oil on before you start preparing your balls. Keep the heat very low as we don’t want the oil to be hot.
- The dough will be sticky that’s the right consistency. Don’t be tempted to add more milk powder !
- Hot Gulab jamuns should go straight into warm syrup to ensure they absorb syrup properly. Once they have absorbed all the syrup they can be taken out. Its your choice if you want to serve with or without the syrup.
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