Baked Yogurt (Bhapa Doi)

This baked yogurt or Bhapa doi needs no introduction ,specially in Bengali households.You can call it Bengali cheesecake.It is same in texture like cheesecake.Very tasty and very easy to put together too. Traditionally this recipe is a cake which is made by steaming sweetened thick yogurt.But in our modern kitchen to simplify the process we bake the yogurt in water to give the same taste and texture to this delicious dessert.

For the traditionally  baked yogurt they use earthen pots to serve it .In our kitchen we can use any ovenproof dish or ramekins to make single serve portions.Since i did not have ramekins and wanted to make mine in single serve portions ,I made these single serve aluminium foil cups.We Indians are always good in 'JUGAAD'.Although I was very much skeptical before using my foil cups but they really worked well and solved my purpose.

Ingredients

500 gms  Yogurt (hung yogurt or Greek yogurt)

 1 can or 394gms Condensed Milk

4 Green Cardamons (powdered)

Few strands of Saffron

1 -2 tbsp milk 

few pistachios and chirongi nuts to garnish

Method

• Preheat the oven to 190 C or 350 degree F.
• Soak saffron strands in warm milk and keep aside.
• Meantime, mix yogurt and condensed milk in a bowl and mix well with a whisk until smooth.
• Add cardamon powder in yogurt mixture along with saffron infused milk.
• Pour this yogurt mixture into 6 ramekins or an oven safe dish.I used my foil cups.
• In a big baking tray, place these ramekins and fill it with hot water until 2/3 of the ramekins are inserted in the water.
• Carefully place the baking tray with the ramekins in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes in a preheated oven.
• Bake it until the toothpick or knife inserted comes out clean.  Mine took 18  minutes,   Once done remove them from the oven.
• Let the Bhapa doi cool for 10 – 15 minutes.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.  This dessert  should be chilled before serving.Garnish it with nuts when ready to serve.