By Ujjainee Roy
July 24, 2024
If you like making chhena sweets at home, then you must brush up on some basic know-how. Some common mistakes may occur when you're trying to make homemade sweets with chhena or cottage cheese. Here are some common mistakes you can avoid.
Using low-quality or low-fat milk can significantly impact the texture and flavor of chhena sweets. Whole milk or full-fat milk is ideal for making chhena because it yields a rich, creamy texture that is essential for the softness of sweets like Rasgulla and Sandesh
The temperature at which milk is curdled to make chhena is crucial. If the milk is too hot, the chhena can become tough and rubbery. If it's too cold, the milk may not curdle properly, leading to an incomplete separation of whey.
Proper draining of whey from the chhena is essential to achieve the right texture. If too much whey is left, the chhena will be too moist and sticky, making it difficult to form smooth, firm balls or shapes. On the other hand, if the chhena is too dry, the sweets can become hard and crumbly.
Kneading chhena is a crucial step for achieving the right texture, especially in sweets like Rasgulla. Over-kneading can make the chhena too soft and sticky, causing the sweets to lose shape during cooking
For sweets like Rasgulla, the sugar syrup should be of the right consistency. If the syrup is too thick, it will prevent the chhena balls from expanding properly, resulting in dense and heavy sweets.
The cooking time and temperature are critical when preparing chhena sweets. Overcooking can make the sweets hard and chewy, while undercooking can leave them raw inside. For example, Rasgullas should be cooked in a covered pot of boiling syrup for 15-20 minutes,