This no bake Gulab Jamun Cheesecake recipe is a gorgeous blend of Indian flavours in a western dessert. It’s a showstopping Indian fusion dessert that is perfect for a Diwali party or celebration. It is also instant so can be served immediately or made ahead of time.
I’ve made it super easy by making a no-bake version in jars that takes only 10 minutes of prep time!
- Why you will love this recipe
- Gulab Jamun Cheesecake Ingredients
- Equipment
- How to make Gulab Jamun Cheesecake
- Pro Tips
- Serving Suggestion
- Storage
- Other Indian Diwali Sweets
I LOVE Gulab Jamun ! The soft spongy balls soaked in a rose scented sugar syrup are instantly recognisable and arguably the flagship Indian sweet!
Now, I am a big believer in enjoying the best Indian sweets just as they are, but sometimes, it is nice to change things up.
If you’ve ever eaten warm gulab jamun with ice cream at an Indian restaurant, you’ll understand that the creamy ice cream does blend beautifully with juicy gulab jamun!
With this idea, I’ve combined the western cheesecake with gulab jamun for a fresh new take.
This mini gulab jamun cheesecake is eggless, easy to transport and makes individual cheesecakes that are super easy to serve.
I’ve gone for a no-bake cream cheese filling that flavoured with the sugar syrup from gulab jamun with real pieces of gulab jamun on top.
The same idea also works beautifully with these Gulab Jamun Truffles .
You’ll love these Gulab Jamun Cookies which have a divine rose water glaze.
Why you will love this recipe
Instant dessert that does not require setting time
No bake – no need to bother with an oven or instant pot
Served in jars – no need to bother with a springform pan or agar agar to set
Eggless dessert
Easily portable
Can be ready in 15 minutes
Gulab Jamun Cheesecake Ingredients
Gulab Jamun – if you have big gulab jamun consider cutting them in half or use angoori gulab jamun (aka mini gulab jamuns).
Cheesecake batter filling:
Mascarpone – alternatively use plain cream cheese
Icing sugar
Rose water or sugar syrup from gulab jamun
Optional whipped cream – the whipped cream makes the cheesecake light and airy
Optional vanilla extract
Crust/base:
Digestive biscuits or graham crackers – if you do not have these, to make it extra authentic, use nankhatai.
Butter – you’ll need melted butter
Optional – Cardamom powder – to add indian dessert flavours to the base
Garnishing:
Pistachios, rose petals and saffron
Equipment
Mixing bowl
Food processor
Spatula
Serving jars or ramekins
How to make Gulab Jamun Cheesecake
1.Crush the biscuits in a food processor to make the biscuit base then mix in melted butter. Mix well
2.In a small bowl, mix together the crushed biscuits and melted butter
3.Spoon the mixture gently into jars or glassware of choice and use the end of a rolling pin to even out. Set aside.
4.Whisk the cream until you achieve stiff peaks.
5.Fold in the cream cheese and icing sugar and mix until smooth.
6.Optionally spoon in a spoon or two of the gulab jamun syrup.
Variation 1:
Slice gulab jamun into 0.5cm rounds and arrange around the outside of the glass then gently spoon in the cream cheese mixture into the middle.
Variation 2:
Simply pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the base and level out.
7.Decorate whichever way you fancy. I topped the cheesecakes with sliced and whole gulab jamun then finished with a garnish of silver leaf, pistachios and rose petals.
Pro Tips
Because this Gulab Jamun Cheesecake is no bake, it is pretty easy and fool-proof to put together. However, these few tips will ensure your end result is a stunning centerpiece!
Drain the gulab jamun before using – the extra sugar syrup can make the filling runny
Adding whipped cream keeps the cream cheese mixture light and airy
This cream cheese filling is for instant cheesecake jars that do not need setting so it will likely not set if you try using springform
If using sugar syrup in the filling, you can adjust the amount of icing sugar. It is better to keep the cream cheese filling less sweet as adding in gulab jamun will make the whole dessert considerably sweeter.
You can easily scale this recipe up or down.
Serving Suggestion
Serve these Gulab Jamun Cheesecake Jars as a dessert in your Diwali Dinner Menu .
They’re perfect for Diwali, Eid or special occasions.
Storage
Store leftover gulab jamun cheesecake in the fridge. Ensure it is well sealed to prevent any odours from seeping in.
Consume within the next 2 days to enjoy it at its freshest. Do not store for long if the ingredients at preparation were already close to an expiry date.
I have not personally frozen a no bake cheesecake before.
Other Indian Diwali Sweets
Kala Jamun (Black Gulab Jamun)
Ras Malai
Besan Barfi
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Gulab Jamun Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Food processor
- 6 jars
Ingredients
Cheesecake filling
- 250 gram mascarpone cheese or plain full fat cream cheese
- 150 millilitres cream double or heavy cream
- 50 gram icing sugar
- gulab jamun sugar syrup or rose water optional
Crust/base
- 6 pieces digestive biscuits or graham crackers
- 30 gram butter melted
Garnishing
- 6 pieces gulab jamun drained
- pistachio slivers
- rose petals
- edible silver leaf or gold leaf
Instructions
- Crush the biscuits in a food processor to make the biscuit base then mix in melted butter. Mix well
- In a bowl, mix together the crushed biscuits and melted butter
- Spoon the mixture gently into jars or glassware of choice and use the end of a rolling pin to even out. Set aside.
- Whisk the cream until you achieve stiff peaks.
- Fold in the cream cheese and icing sugar and mix until smooth.
- Optionally spoon in a spoon or two of the gulab jamun syrup.
- Variation 1: Slice gulab jamun into 0.5cm rounds and arrange around the outside of the glass then gently spoon in the cream cheese mixture into the middle.
- Variation 2: Simply pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the base and level out.
- Decorate whichever way you fancy. I topped the cheesecakes with sliced and whole gulab jamun then finished with a garnish of silver leaf, pistachios and rose petals.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Gulab Jamun Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Food processor
- 6 jars
Ingredients
Cheesecake filling
- 250 gram mascarpone cheese or plain full fat cream cheese
- 150 millilitres cream double or heavy cream
- 50 gram icing sugar
- gulab jamun sugar syrup or rose water optional
Crust/base
- 6 pieces digestive biscuits or graham crackers
- 30 gram butter melted
Garnishing
- 6 pieces gulab jamun drained
- pistachio slivers
- rose petals
- edible silver leaf or gold leaf
Instructions
- Crush the biscuits in a food processor to make the biscuit base then mix in melted butter. Mix well
- In a bowl, mix together the crushed biscuits and melted butter
- Spoon the mixture gently into jars or glassware of choice and use the end of a rolling pin to even out. Set aside.
- Whisk the cream until you achieve stiff peaks.
- Fold in the cream cheese and icing sugar and mix until smooth.
- Optionally spoon in a spoon or two of the gulab jamun syrup.
- Variation 1: Slice gulab jamun into 0.5cm rounds and arrange around the outside of the glass then gently spoon in the cream cheese mixture into the middle.
- Variation 2: Simply pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the base and level out.
- Decorate whichever way you fancy. I topped the cheesecakes with sliced and whole gulab jamun then finished with a garnish of silver leaf, pistachios and rose petals.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
This Black Daal or Dal Makhani is a copycat version of the popular Indian restaurant, Dishoom. The original recipe takes over 24 hours of simmering, but I’ve found techniques to reduce the time and still achieve that classic buttery finish. This creamy dal is prepared with whole black lentils which are simmered in a tomato garlic sauce and finished with cream.
You can now make the famous Dishoom black dal recipe (their signature dish) in your own kitchen!
The recipe is so simple, all that you need is patience – Dishoom restaurant states on their menu that the dal is cooked over 24 hours! However my homemade version takes a lot less time.
Firstly, cook black urad dal until you achieve soft buttery dal. I use the Instant Pot to to speed things up but you can use a pan or stove top pressure cooker. You then gently simmer the dal with a ginger, garlic and tomato paste.
It’s different to the techniques in Dal Makhani in which the masala is cooked first.
Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Whole black urad dal – this is easily avaliable in Indian grocery stores or online, and is also known as MATPE beans or sabut urad dal.
Garlic paste – fresh garlic cloves are best
Ginger paste – I crush fresh root ginger in a mini food processor until smooth. The smoother the better.
Tomato puree or tomato paste – In the UK tomato paste is available in the tube and tins, that is very thick. If using paste then add some water to bring to a tomato puree consistency.
Salt – the official recipe states fine sea salt. I’ve used regular salt.
Deggi mirch chilli powder or use a mix of hot red chilli powder and kashmiri chilli powder
Garam masala
Unsalted butter or ghee
Double cream (heavy cream for US readers) – single cream works too.
Urad Black Dal Pro Tips
- It is very important that the daal is cooked until soft and creamy. This allows the grains to soften further and break down when simmering, creating a creamy dal.
- To check, squeeze a grain between your finger and thumb, it should mash without any resistance.
- The daal should be in date – daal that has become old remains hard even with plenty of cooking time
- Urad dal often changes colour and becomes green after soaking, this is fine!
- The ginger, garlic and tomato paste should be completely smooth. Lumps will prevent the finished dal from being creamy.
- Simmer on low heat but keep stirring occasionally scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Use a heavy bottomed pan as any other will cause the dal to stick and burn
- If you follow the steps above to achieve a creamy dal, you could get away with adding less butter or ghee if you wish.
- The right consistency you are looking for is thick but pourable soup.
How to make Dishoom House Black Daal
1.Wash the dal thoroughly and allow to soak overnight in plenty of water in a large bowl to allow for the dal to expand. Now, you can cook urad dal in a saucepan or in a pressure cooker.
Saucepan:
Add the dal and water into a large pan and bring to a boil and cook until the dal grains need to become completely soft, with the skin falling away from the white grain. When pressed, the white part should be creamy. When cooked, turn off the heat.
Pressure cooker:
2.Add the dal into the pressure cooker and add enough water to cover about 1 inch above the dal. Pressure cook for around 40 minutes if you have an electric pressure cooker.
Next prepare the paste.
3.In a bowl, mix the garlic and ginger pastes, tomato puree, salt, and spice powders – red chili powder and teaspoon of garam masala.
4.Pour off the cooking water, then pour on enough fresh water to cover the dal by a few centimetres. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, then add the spicy tomato paste and butter.
5.Cook on a rapid simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the mixture from sticking.
6.Switch to low heat and simmer for one to one and a half hours more, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking, and adding a little water if the liquid level gets near the level of the grains. Eventually, the dal will turn thick and creamy. The creaminess must come from the grains disintegrating into the liquid and enriching it, not from the water being allowed to evaporate, leaving only the grains behind.
7.Add the cream and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Serving Suggestion
Serve Dishoom Dal alongside jeera rice and chapatis . You can also make other Indian breads such as tandoori roti or garlic and coriander naan .
Go for a dry curry or sabji to make it a complete meal with this aloo gobi matar (cauliflower, potato and green peas) brinjal bhaji or bhindi bhaji
Serve poppadom dips , kachumber salad and poppadoms as a side.
Mango Lassi is an Indian restaurant special! Dishoom adds a touch of fennel to theirs.
Storage
Store leftover Black dal in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
When reheating any leftover dal, you may need to add a little more liquid to loosen it up.
You can freeze the cooked black dal in a freezer safe container. Allow to thaw then reheat thoroughly, adding a small pinch of garam masala to revive the flavours.
You can also store cooked black lentils in the freezer, ready to make black dal at a later date. Simply allow to thaw and use directly in the recipe.
I tend to cook a double batch of lentils and store away in portions to save on eletricity and and gives me a head start saving on time.
To make vegan black dal, swap the butter and cream for dairy-free alternatives. You can use vegan butter or coconut oil or vegetable oil and vegan cream.
Other Dal Recipes
- Sultani Dal
- Whole Masoor Dal
- Spinach Chana Dal
- Dhaba Style Dal Fry
- Masoor Dal (Red Lentils Dahl)
- Tarka Dal
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Dishoom Black Dal
Equipment
- 1 Large saucepan
- 1 Pressure cooker optional
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Small bowl
Ingredients
- 250 gram urad dal whole black lentils
- 100 gram tomato purée or tomato paste
- 20 gram butter
- 15 gram ginger puree
- 15 gram garlic puree
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon deggi mirch chilli powder or any red chilli powder
- 2 tablespoon cream
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the dal thoroughly and allow to soak overnight in plenty of water in a large bowl to allow for the dal to expand. Now, you can cook urad dal in a saucepan or in a pressure cooker.
Saucepan:
- Add the dal and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil and cook until he dal grains need to become completely soft, with the skin falling away from the white grain. When pressed, the white part should be creamy. When cooked, turn off the heat.
Pressure cooker:
- Add the dal into the pressure cooker and add enough water to cover about 1inch above the dal. Pressure cook for around 40 minutes if you have an electric pressure cooker.
Next prepare the paste.
- In a bowl, mix the garlic and ginger pastes, tomato puree, salt, and spice powders – red chili powder and teaspoon of garam masala.
- Carefully pour off the dal cooking water, then pour on enough fresh water to cover the dal by a few centimetres. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, then add the tomato paste and butter.
- Cook on a rapid simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the mixture from sticking.
- Lower the heat and simmer for one to one and a half hours more, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking, and adding a little water if the liquid level gets near the level of the grains. Eventually, the dal will turn thick and creamy.
- Add the cream and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Video
Notes
It is very important that the daal is cooked until soft and creamy. This allows the grains to soften further and break down when simmering, creating a creamy dal. To check, squeeze a grain between your finger and thumb, it should mash without any resistance.
The daal should be in date – daal that has become old remains hard even with plenty of cooking time
Urad dal often changes colour and becomes green after soaking, this is fine!
The ginger, garlic and tomato paste should be completely smooth. Lumps will prevent the finished dal from being creamy.
Simmer on low heat but keep stirring occasionally scraping the bottom of the pan.
Use a heavy bottomed pan as any other will cause the dal to stick and burn
If you follow the steps above to achieve creamy dal, you could get away with adding less butter or ghee if you wish.
The right consistency you are looking for is thick but like a runny pourable soup.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
