Bangladeshi Sweet Caramel Yogurt

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A beloved Bengali sweet thickened with reduced milk, sugar, and jaggery, then gently caramelized for a deep amber color and butterscotch-like aroma. Traditionally poured into small clay pots and fermented overnight, it sets into a silky, lightly tangy custard that is served chilled.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 210 kcalCalories
• 7 gFat
• 4 gSaturated Fat
• 29 gCarbs
• 0 gFiber
• 27 gSugar
• 7 gProtein
• 95 mgSodium
• 310 mgPotassium
• 270 mgCalcium
• 0.3 mgIron
• 1 mgVitamin C
• 110 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the caramel and sweetened milk

• 1 liter (about 4 cups) full-fat whole milk
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) date jaggery or palm jaggery, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder (optional)
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar, for the dry caramel

For setting and garnishing

• 2 tablespoons (30 g) plain whole-milk yogurt with live cultures
• Pinch of fine salt
• 1 tablespoon crushed pistachios, for serving (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon extra cardamom powder, for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, skimming off the skin if you prefer a smoother texture. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often, until the milk thickens and reduces by roughly one quarter.
2. While the milk reduces, make a light caramel: place the 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small dry skillet over medium heat and let it melt without stirring until it turns a deep amber. Immediately swirl in 2 tablespoons of the hot reduced milk to stop the cooking, then pour this caramel back into the saucepan.
3. Add the 3/4 cup sugar, grated jaggery, and cardamom to the thickened milk. Stir continuously over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes until every grain dissolves and the milk takes on a pale caramel color.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and let the milk cool to about 43°C (110°F). It should feel comfortably warm on the inside of your wrist, not hot, or it will kill the yogurt cultures.
5. Whisk the 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt with the pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth. Pour a little of the warm milk into the yogurt to temper it, then whisk the yogurt mixture back into the saucepan, stirring gently in one direction.
6. Rinse six small clay pots (bhar or kulhad) or heat-proof ramekins with warm water and shake off the excess. Pour the sweetened milk into each pot, filling about three quarters full, and cover loosely with foil.
7. Set the pots in a warm, draft-free place to ferment for 6 to 8 hours, or until the yogurt has just set with a slight jiggle in the center. An oven with only the light on (heat off) or a large picnic cooler with a hot water bottle works perfectly.
8. Once set, transfer the pots to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours. Serve straight from the pot, garnished with crushed pistachios and a light dusting of cardamom if desired.

Cook’s Notes

• Use full-fat whole milk; lower-fat milk yields a thinner, less creamy set with a sharper tang.
• Authentic earthen pots (matka, bhar, or kulhad) absorb excess whey and lend a subtle earthy aroma. Rinse them with warm water before pouring so the clay does not crack from thermal shock.
• Never add the yogurt starter to milk hotter than about 45°C (113°F), or the live cultures will die and the yogurt will not set properly.
• If you do not have live-culture yogurt on hand, use 2 tablespoons of an existing batch of sweet yogurt as your starter for the most authentic, slightly tangy flavor.
• For a deeper butterscotch note, increase the dry caramel to 3 tablespoons of sugar and let it darken slightly before tempering with the hot milk.

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