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Bhapa doi (Bengali steamed sweet yogurt)
Silky steamed yogurt set with condensed milk and cardamom, served chilled
Bhapa doi means steamed yogurt, and it's the dessert Kolkata households make when there's no time to visit the sweet shop for mishti doi. It's especially popular on Jamai Shashthi and at Poila Baisakh, the Bengali New Year, but it appears at Sunday lunches all year. Thick hung yogurt is mixed with condensed milk and a little milk, scented with cardamom, then gently steamed until it sets like a soft cheesecake without a crust. Chilled, it's dense, smooth and tangy-sweet. Serve it plain in small bowls, topped with pistachios, or with ripe mango in summer. There is no egg here: the milk proteins in the yogurt and condensed milk set with gentle heat, just as eggs would set a baked custard, and the condensed milk adds body and sweetness. Chef's tip: steam it on a low, gentle simmer; the common mistake is a fierce boil, which makes the yogurt weep whey and turn grainy.
- Total time
- 285 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb plain full-fat yogurtto hang into about 400 g thick yogurt
- ½ cup full-fat milk
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 pinch saffron threads (optional)
- ½ oz pistachios (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Tip 1 ⅓ lb plain full-fat yogurt into a sieve lined with muslin over a bowl and hang it in the fridge for 1 hour, until it is thick like soft cheese. Discard the whey.
60 minStep 2: Whisk the hung yogurt, 7 oz sweetened condensed milk and ½ cup full-fat milk in a bowl until completely smooth. Stir in ¼ tsp ground cardamom and 1 pinch saffron threads if using.
Step 3: Pour into a 15–18 cm steel or heatproof dish (or 6 small ramekins) and cover tightly with foil.
Step 4: Set the dish on a rack in a large pan with 3 cm of simmering water, cover with a lid and steam over a low heat for 20–25 minutes (12–15 for ramekins), until set at the edges with a slight wobble in the centre.
25 minStep 5: Or bake: stand the covered dish in a roasting tin of hot water and bake at 325°F (275°F fan) for 30–35 minutes, until it wobbles only slightly.
30 minStep 6: Lift out and cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 3 hours, until firm.
180 minStep 7: Scatter over ½ oz pistachios if using and serve cold, cut into wedges or straight from the ramekins.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bhapa doi (Bengali steamed sweet yogurt) take?
- About 285 minutes in total: 260 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain full-fat yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sweetened condensed milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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