Malai Khaaja are a treat in India, missing these in USA, I made these and they are slightly different, but they do satisfy the malai khaaja craving!
Recipe with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
1 heavy cream carton. Small size of 8 oz.
1 tin evaporated milk
1 lb. Mava / Khoya
3 tsp Sugar or to taste
1 tsp Elaichi Cardamom powder or to taste
1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder or to taste.
3 threads of Saffron or to taste.
(Note I prefer only cardamon/elaichi)
Puff Pastry
Heat the cream.
Add evaporated milk, mava or khoya.
When it boils and becomes thick, add sugar, elaichi / cardamon and rest of the ingredients.
Add almonds and or pistachios. (optional)
Cook everything together and remove from stove.
Fill in the mixture in the pre-baked puff pastry shells as shown.
Sprinkle finely chopped almonds and pistachios on the top.
Serve within 7 days.
Recipe with Phyllo Dough
Ingredients
1 small cream
1 tin evaporated milk
1 tsp. custard powder
3 tsp Sugar or to taste
1 tsp Elaichi / Cardamom powder or to taste
1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder or to taste
3 threads of Saffron or to taste
1 cup powder milk
Phyllo dough (defrosted sheets)
Heat the cream.
Add evaporated milk.
When it boils and becomes thick, add sugar, elaichi/cardamon. (Note I prefer only elaichi).
Add almonds and or pistachios. (optional)
Lastly, mix custard powder in water, drop by drop as needed to make a paste, and add to the mixture.
Cook everything together and remove from stove.
Cut phyllo pastry in your preferred shape. Some like it rolled up, filled like a strudel and cut, I like the square look.
Bake as per phyllo dough box instructions.
When ready, apply sugar syrup (chasni) on top.
Sprinkle almonds and pistachios on the syrup and serve immediately.
NOTE: The phylo dough gets soft and will not stay crisp. I prefer the puff pastry shells, without egg wash and sugar syrup.
Wow! These look so cute & delicious!