About:

These paneer rings are made from indian cottage cheese (Panner).  Usually panner is made using whole milk but here I used low fat milk and baked these rings in oven and then soaked in dates syrup. This is definitely a treat for those who looking for healthy and natural sugar sweet.

Fried sweets and sugar are such a fetching one and once a while having sweets and fried snacks are a treat. However when there is a craving for sweet and can’t go with sugar and fried one this will be a great way to enjoy without any guilt.

Yields: 12-14 rings
Preparation time: 10 minutes (Excluding panner making)
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 18 – 20 minutes

Ingredients:

For paneer rings:

• Semi-skimmed milk- 4 Pints (~2 liters)
• Lemon juice-from 1lemon
• Cardamom powder-1/2tsp
• Baking powder-1/2tsp
• Icing sugar – 2-3 tbsp (Optional add as per sweetness)
• Maida/all purpose flour-1-2tbsp
• Oil- for toasting

Dates syrup:

• Dates molasses- ¼ cup
• Honey – 1/3 cup (Increase/Decrease as per sweet desired)
• Water- ½ cup
• Cardamom powder- ½ tsp
• Saffron strands

Garnish:

• Chopped nuts

Procedure:

For paneer:

• Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan and add the lemon juice. Keep stirring, until the milk starts to curdle and let the whey water become clear.
• Let it stand for 4-5 minutes. Line a sieve/colander with a muslin or cotton cloth. Pour the curdled milk into it.
• Wash the strained paneer under running water to remove the strains of lemon juice.
• Wrap and place a heavy dish on it until all the water has been drained out (~30 minutes).
• Store in an air tight container wrapping it in muslin cloth or cling film for later use.

For Rings:

• Panner can be used immediately by combining with maida, cardamom powder, icing sugar, baking powder and knead to make a smooth dough.
• Pre-heat the oven at 150deg C. place a cooling rack on the baking tray and line the rack with the baking sheet and set aside (I used rack as it helps in even cooking)
• Take small portion of the dough and roll into rope and round it to circle and arrange on the lined rack.
• Repeat with the remaining paneer dough and then bake for 18- 20 minutes at 150deg C. flipping after 10-12 minutes.

For the syrup:

• Combine dates molasses and water in a sauce pan and bring it to boil and let it simmer for 4-6minutes or until thickens.
• Stir in Cardamom powder and saffron starnds.
• Turn off the flame; Then add honey as desired

For servings:

• Once the paneer rings are baked add it to the dates and honey syrup
• Soak in syrup for about an hour
• Transfer into the serving dish and garnish with nuts

Note;

• You can use store bough Panner as well
• If the dates syrup is more concentrated, feel free to add extra water
• Panner doesn’t suck much of syrup and hence the sweet will be mild.
• Icing sugar can be added more to panner dough to enhance the sweetness

Enjoy this low sugar mild sweet for Deepavali/Diwali