Rabri Burfi (Baked Ricotta in Cream Sauce)

Rabri Burfi is a creamier, baked version of Milk Burfi. Adding half-and-half reduction sauce to the Burfi at the end makes it melt in your mouth. Rabri is made by cooking sweetened milk and cream in an open, wok-like pot. The layer of cream that forms on the surface of the milk is set aside and the process continues until cream-milk mixture is reduced to a pudding like consistency. This takes hours and requires milk that has not been homogenized for the cream to collect on top. My simplified version tastes similar to the real Rabri without all the cooking and stirring.
ingredients:
2 lbs. whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk
few drops of kewra essence (see note)
for sauce:
3 cups half and half
1/2 cup sugar
few drops kewra essence (see note)
2-3 tbsps. crushed pistachios
note:
Kewra essence is available at Indian markets.

preparation:
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
  • Mix ricotta, sugar, evaporated milk and Kewra in a bowl. 
  • Pour into a 9x13 glass pan, place pan in the oven.
  • To make sauce, mix half and half and sugar in a heavy bottomed, oven-proof sauce pan (do NOT use a non-stick pan) and place in the oven as well. 
  • Bake both sauce and Burfi for 30 minutes. 
  • Stir sauce (not Burfi) to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan (I use an enameled dutch oven). 
  • Continue to bake for another 30 minutes until top of Burfi starts to turn golden. 
  • Sauce should be reduced to about 2 cups.
  • Take both pans out of oven and cool.
  • Add Kewra and pistachios to sauce, mix. 
  • Burfi and sauce can be chilled at this point. 
  • Cut Burfi into 2 inch squares, place a piece in a serving plate and pour 2-3 tablespoons of sauce over it. 
  • Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Copyright © Rashmi Rustagi 2012. All Rights Reserved.

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