Chocolate Sandesh

Serves: to serve 4

Prep Time: 25 Minutes

Ready In: 25 mins

1¼ pint - milk

¼ teaspoon - lemon juice

4 fl oz - water

1 tablespoon - caster sugar (or sugar substitute)

2 tablespoons - double cream

1 tablespoon - cocoa powder

½ teaspoon - vanilla essence

1 tablespoon - icing sugar (a.k.a. powdered or confectioners' sugar)

4 - pistachio nuts (to garnish)

Heat the milk in a pan and bring it to a gentle boil over a medium heat. Remove from the heat, stir the lemon juice into 4 fl oz (120ml) of water and add to the milk then stir slowly and gently until white curd forms on the surface and separates from whey.
Use a white muslin cloth to strain the milk. The solid remaining in the cloth (the curds) is called "chenna" (cottage cheese). Wash this cheese well under cold running water, then twist the cloth that was used for straining to extract as much water as possible.
Combine the chenna and sugar (or sugar substitute) together in a bowl and mash it well using your hands. Add in the cream, cocoa powder and vanilla essence and mix well.
Divide the mix into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into a square (or any other shape that takes your fancy!). Sprinkle icing sugar (a.k.a. powdered or confectioners' sugar) over the top and garnish with pistachio nuts. Refrigerate the Chocolate Sandesh for at least 30 minutes and serve chilled (with Rassagulla if you wish).