Soft and fluffy gulab jamuns with a special surprise of crunchy nuts in the center!
Jump to:
- What are stuffed gulab jamuns?
- Ingredients
- Gulab jamun filling ideas
- Why I combine the nuts with dough
- Creating the perfect syrup
- Tips for stuffed gulab jamuns
- Desserts that pair well with gulab jamun
- Storing gulab jamuns
- Gulab jamun variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Gulab Jamun Stuffed With Nuts
- Other desserts you may like
What are stuffed gulab jamuns?
Gulab jamun is a delicious, spongy, milk-based donut that is fried and dunked into a cardamom, saffron, and rose syrup.
Stuffed gulab jamuns are even more special. They are stuffed or filled with with your favorite goodies. This recipe is based on my original gulab jamun recipe but is stuffed with an assortment of crunchy nuts like pistachios and almonds. If you are looking for a deep dive on tips and tricks for gulab jamuns you can check it out in this detailed blog post.
Ingredients
- Whole milk powder
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Sea salt
- Heavy cream
- Gulab jamun syrup
Gulab jamun filling ideas
These gulab jamuns are filled with an assortment of nuts. My favorite fillings are pistachios, blanched almonds (almonds without the skin), and cashews that are lightly toasted. However you can also fill your jamuns with:
- Coconut flakes
- Gulkand (rose paste)
- Khoya (thick condensed milk)
- Hazelnuts
- Nutella
Start with a small amount of inclusions that contain liquid such as nutella or gulkand, as the liquid can create steam within the gulab jamun and cause it to break if there is too much.
Why I combine the nuts with dough
My recipe asks you to create smaller balls made up of nuts and dough that are then encased in pure dough. The reasoning for this is that it helps trap the nuts in the center of the gulab jamun, ensures that there is a good distribution of the nuts, and prevents any cracks on the exterior of the gulab jamuns.
Creating the perfect syrup
My biggest issue with gulab jamuns is that they can be too sweet. Typically folks use a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water; however, as the syrup thickens it gets even sweeter. This recipe uses a 4:5 ratio of sugar to water which means that for 1 cup of sugar there are 1.25 cups of water, which yields a less sweet syrup. If you are looking for ideas on using your leftover gulab jamun syrup, you can check out this blog post that dives deep into how to use the leftover gulab jamun syrup.
Tips for stuffed gulab jamuns
Here are some high level tips for making stuffed gulab jamuns. However, check out this detailed blog post if you want in-depth tips and solutions for common mistakes when making gulab jamuns.
- Toast nuts before adding them into gulab jamuns. Toasting the nuts really enhances the flavor!
- Chop the nuts coarsely. I love the crunch of the nuts within the gulab jamun; if the nuts are chopped too finely you won't decipher them within the gulab jamun, especially after it has been soaked in syrup.
- Rotate the jamuns in oil to get even browning. Stuffed jamuns have a tendency to float to the top on one side as the jamun may be heavier on one end than the other. Try roating the jamuns as best as possible without touching them. However, you may need to gently spoon hot oil over the top or hold the gulab jamun underneath the oil if you find that one side keeps rotating to the top. It is very important that all sides are brown; otherwise the tan sides become the weak spots that can dissolve in the syrup.
- Fry gulab jamuns at 325 Farenheit for 3-4 minutes. Frying low and slow is key to fluffy, fully cooked jamuns that can soak in syrup.
- Use pressure and ghee create smooth balls. Greasing your hands with ghee helps create a smooth exterior on the gulab jamun balls.
- Soak the jamun in syrup right after frying. Soaking the jamun while it's still warm will ensure that it is soft and spongy.
- Serve gulab jamuns at room temperature or slightly warmed for the softest texture. When heating gulab jamuns in the microwave, heat in small 10 second intervals as the jamuns can burst if they get too hot.
Desserts that pair well with gulab jamun
Gulab jamuns are so delicious served warm with either vanilla ice cream or pista ice cream. The combo of warm and cold are a match made in heaven. Alternatively, adding a crunchy element such as crushed nuts or chikkis (Indian jaggery peanut brittle) contrasts nicely with the soft jamun.
Storing gulab jamuns
Store gulab jamuns in the syrup in a wide tupperware with a lid. Do not over-crowd or stack gulab jamuns on top of each other as they can break. You can store gulab jamuns in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Gulab jamun variations
In addition to the stuffed gulab jamun recipe, the website also has the original gulab jamun, recipe which serves as a classic, and the dry gulab jamun, which is a perfect variation to pass out during the Diwali season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stuffed jamuns have a tendency to float to the top on one side as the jamun may be heavier on one end than the other. Try roating the jamuns as best as possible without touching them. However, you may need to gently spoon hot oil over the top or hold the gulab jamun underneath the oil if you find that one side keeps rotating to the top.
Hazelnuts or any nuts, coconut flakes, rose paste (gulkand), and more!
You can store gulab jamuns in the fridge for up to 10 days.
You can serve warm gulab jamuns with vanilla ice cream or pista ice cream.
The easiest way to warm gulab jamuns is in the microwave in short intervals of 10 seconds. Heating the gulab jamun too much can cause it to break apart.
Kala jamun is jamun that is a deeper brown and almost black in color wheres gulab jamun is a lighter shade of brown. You can use this recipe to make kala jamun but simply turn the heat up when you reach the 3 minute mark to get a darker color on the exterior.
Yes! Use whole milk powder for a tender gulab jamun with a more pronounced milk flavor. If you are in a pinch, you can use low-fat but compensate by adding 1 tablespoon of ghee. You may have to add additional heavy cream in 1 teaspoon increments until the dough is supple as low-fat milk powder tends to need more liquid.
There are many reasons ranging from using too much leavener (baking powder/baking soda) to the consistency of the dough. Check out this blog post that goes into detail about why your gulab jamun may have broken in the oil and how to fix it.
There are many reasons ranging from using too much leavener (baking powder/baking soda) to the consistency of the dough. Check out this blog post that goes into detail about why your gulab jamun may have broken in the syrup and how to fix it.
There are many reasons ranging from using too much flour to not frying the jamuns properly. Check out this blog post that goes into detail about why your gulab jamun may be hard and how to fix it.
You can buy milk powder at most grocery stores or online.
Filter it out and store it in the fridge to use for pancakes and waffles or for cocktails. You can find more ideas in this blog post.
Gulab Jamun Stuffed With Nuts
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 15 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft and fluffy gulab jamuns with a special surprise of crunchy nuts in the center!
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- ¾ cup (75 grams) whole milk powder (Refer to Note 1 about sourcing milk powder)
- ½ cup (75 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup (112g) heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons mixed nuts like pistachios and blanched almonds
- 1.5 tablespoon ghee or butter, melted, plus more to grease your hands
Syrup Ingredients
- 2 cups (480g) sugar
- 2.5 cups (535g) water
- 3-5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 10-15 saffron strands
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- (Optional) ½ teaspoon rose water
Frying Ingredients
- Vegetable oil - enough to fill pot 3 inches deep (for frying)
- (Optional) ~¼ cup ghee (this helps add flavor to the oil)
Instructions
Note before starting: If you have a scale, this recipe benefits from measuring out everything in grams! Different types of milk powder can have different volume measurements (note 1 explains more).
- In a large bowl, add milk powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until all the dry ingredients are combined.
- Add in ghee and rub it into the dry mixture to form a slightly coarse texture. This step to ensures that the dry mixture is coated in fat and will result in a tender jamun.
- Add in heavy cream to the dry mixture and knead for 1-2 minutes to form a supple dough that has no dry spots and feels like play dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. If the dough feels sticky or tacky, then add 1 teaspoon of flour until it is no longer sticky. If the dough feels hard or tough, then add 1 teaspoon of heavy cream until it feels soft like play dough.
- Toast the mixed nuts on the stovetop until golden brown. Remove the nuts from heat and roughly chop and set aside to cool.
- Get a deep and wide pot to prepare the gulab jamun syrup. Add sugar, water, cardamom pods, and saffron strands and place on the stove on medium heat. Allow the syrup to come to a boil and stir to ensure that all of the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat off, and add rose water, lemon juice and mix. Keep the syrup on the stove as the gulab jamuns will be dunked into this syrup once fried.
- Uncover the gulab jamun dough that has been resting and take ¼ (60 grams) of the dough and mix in the chopped nuts. Using the palm of your hands, form 15 small nut balls that are approximately 4 grams in size.
- With the remaining ¾ of the dough, divide into 15 equal parts that are roughly 8 grams in size.
- Grease the palms of your hands with a bit of ghee. Take one piece of dough to work with while covering the others with a damp cloth. Using a little bit of pressure, flatten the dough ball into a large circle. Place a small ball of nuts into the center of the circle. Use your fingers to encase the nuts within the dough. Roll the dough into a round ball with no cracks. Set the ball under the damp cloth and repeat this process with the remaining dough while remembering to grease your hands as needed.
- Take a deep, heavybottomed pot for frying. Add ghee and enough oil to fill the pot ~3 inches deep. Heat the oil to 325° Fahrenheit. The oil can range between 325 and 350° Fahrenheit when frying.
- While you wait for the oil to warm up, check the temperature of the gulab jamun syrup. It should be warm, about 100 to 130° Fahrenheit. If not, turn the stove on low to warm the syrup up before turning off the heat.
- Once oil is hot enough, gently lower in gulab jamuns in batches into the oil with a metal slotted spoon. Constantly and gently rotate the gulab jamuns by creating small waves in the oil to ensure every side is cooked evenly without disturbing the balls. The gulab jamuns should take 3-4 minutes to completely cook and turn golden brown. Make sure the oil is not too hot as this will result in the outside browning before the inside is fully cooked and fluffy.
- Remove the gulab jamun with the slotted spoon and add them into the warm gulab jamun syrup. Using a different utensil, gently spoon some of the syrup to the top of the jamun to ensure the entire ball comes in contact with the syrup. Allow the gulab jamun to soak in the syrup for at least 20 minutes before eating to ensure the gulab jamuns can fully absorb all the syrup.
- Gulab jamuns can be stored in the fridge with the syrup for up to two weeks. They taste best when served warm or room temperature, either by reheating them in the microwave or warming them on the stove. You can optionally serve pistachio ice cream with the gulab jamuns for the perfect warm and cold dessert combo.
Notes
- (Note 1) Use whole milk powder and NOT low-fat milk powder for a tender and tasty jamun. If you only have low-fat milk powder, then add an additional tablespoon of ghee to the dough. In addition, low-fat milk powder absorbs more liquid so you may have to add heavy cream in increments of 1 teaspoon until the dough is tender and supple. Some Indian milk powder brands are much more coarse than American brands so always use gram measurements. Indian milk powder is much coarser and 50g measures out closer to ¾ cup whereas 50g of American milk powder measures out to be ½ cup. Since American milk powder is more fine with a larger surface area, it absorbs more liquid and thus requires more heavy cream.
- If you are looking for detailed tips and tricks or are looking for solutions to common gulab jamun mistakes, then check out this blog post.
- If you have extra gulab jamun syrup, don’t throw it out! Filter it if needed and use it in cocktails or mocktails and as a syrup for pancakes/waffles. You can check out this blog post for more ideas on how to use the syrup.
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Gulab Jamun Stuffed With Nuts
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