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1
First make the chhana or fresh cottage cheese.
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2
Bring the milk to a boil.
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3
Once the milk is bubbling away, add the calcium lactate powder, and turn down the flame.
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4
The milk will curdle and coagulate within seconds.
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5
Once the entire milk has coagulated and you see the cheese floating on clear whey.
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6
Drain the cheese.
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7
Rinse the cheese under running water thoroughly.
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8
Tie it in a cheese cloth and hang to drain out the water, at least for a couple of hours.
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9
In the meantime, chop the dark chocolate into small chunks and melt it using the double boiler method.
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10
Basically heat some water in a pan, slightly smaller than the bowl containing the chocolate.
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11
Once the water comes to a boil, lower heat and place the bowl of chocolate on the bowl of boiling water.
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12
Turn down the heat.
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13
The chocolate bowl mustn't touch the water.
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14
Keep stirring with a spatula until chocolate has melted.
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15
To the melted chocolate add the cocoa powder and vanilla essence and keep aside.
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16
Reserve about 3 tablespoons in a separate bowl.
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17
Once maximum water is drained out, tip the cheese on a flat surface and begin kneading it, pressing it down and forward with the heel of your palm, working it on the surface.
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18
The kneading is most important and the chhana or cottage cheese should be smooth, and almost like a fine paste at the end of it.
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19
Add the melted chocolate (not the 3 tbsp you reserved separately) and condensed milk to the kneaded chhana and mix well.
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20
Heat a heavy bottomed pan and tip the chhana mixture into it.
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21
Cook on medium heat until the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan and come together as a ball.
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22
Remove from heat, add the raisins and mix well.
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23
One it is cool enough to work with divide the chhana into 12 equal parts.
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24
Sculpt into round balls and slightly flatten each by patting softly with your fingers.
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25
Dip half the balls in melted chocolate you had reserved separately and top it off with roasted slivered almonds.
