Recipe- Sweet And Light Thandai Mousse Gulab Jamun Cups

This Indian fusion dessert is a fresh spin on the traditional Thandai that is layered with cookie crumbs, mousse, and Gulab Jamuns. It’s everything you will ever wish for in a dessert. So join me in the kitchen to create a festival of flavors that is just perfect for any joyous occasion.For those unfamiliar with the term, Thandai is a milk-based refreshing drink that is prepared with a blend of spices and nuts that acts as a natural coolant, helps control acidity, aids digestion, and cools you down on a hot summer day. Our mousse is flavored with this thandai mix.

Gulab Jamun is a well-liked deep-fried Indian sweet made with milk solids and is later flavored with cardamom + saffron-infused sugar syrup.

Ingredients

For the Crust

¾ cup Eggless Cookies
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1½ tablespoons Thandai Powder

Center Layer

8 pieces of Gulab Jamun (rinse the syrup from the gulab jamuns)

Mousse Layer

8 oz Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
¾ cup Powdered Sugar
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream ( use cold and straight out of the fridge)
1 teaspoon Saffron strands
½ teaspoon Cardamom Essence
3 tablespoons Thandai powder

Garnish

Gulab Jamun
Dried Rose Petals
Slivered Almonds and Pistachio

Thandai Powder

½ tablespoons Cashews
½ tablespoons Melon Seeds
¼ teaspoon Saffron Strands
¼ teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
¼ teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
1 teaspoon Rose petal spread
¾ teaspoon Fennel seeds powder
¾ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
¼ teaspoon Poppy Seeds
6 pieces of Almonds
7 pieces of Pistachios
1½ teaspoons Black Peppercorns (adjust according to taste)

Method

* Pour 1 tablespoon warm milk in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon crushed saffron to it. Mix it well. Let it rest for a minute.

Thandai Mix

* Combine all the ingredients listed under the thandai mix in a blender/grinder.

* Pulse until the thandai mixture has a powdery consistency similar to that of a confectioners' sugar. Set it aside.

Prepare Thandai Mousse

* Assemble cream cheese, saffron mix, and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.

* TIP – Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before you start mixing it with other ingredients.

* Process the mixture for 30 seconds or until smooth and lump-free. Pour in whipping cream and thandai mix.

* Beat at medium speed for 5-6 minutes until soft peaks are formed. Set aside in the refrigerator to chill.

* Drain the gulab jamuns from the syrup, slice them in halves, and set them aside.

Cookie Base

* Crush the cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor. Another way is to put the cookies in a ziplock bag and crush them using a rolling pin.

* Transfer the crushed cookies to a bowl. Add thandai mix to it and mix.

* Add melted butter and mix until the crushed cookies attain a grainy texture.

* Take your serving glass and spoon the cookie crumb mix at the bottom of each cup. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the cups with the back of a spoon or shot glass.

* Add a generous layer of sliced gulab jamun on top of the cookie layer.

* Pipe the thandai mousse over the gulab jamuns.

* Top the thandai mouse with yet another layer of sliced gulab jamuns and finish it off with a final swirl of Thandai mousse.

* Garnish with crushed pistachios, dried rose petals (edible), and gulab jamun.

* Cover the cups with plastic wrap and set them in the refrigerator to set.

* Serve them chilled.