Equipment
Ingredients
Cardamom Biscuit Crust
- 200 g digestive biscuits
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 g green cardamom powder
Cheesecake Batter
- 500 g cream cheese, room temperature block style
- 400 g sweetened condensed milk
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 15 g cornstarch
- 5 ml rose water
- saffron strands
Filling and Garnish
- 300 g gulab jamun, syrup drained, cut in half
- 20 g pistachios, finely chopped
- 2 g dried edible rose petals
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 521 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 44 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 32 g
- Sodium
- 411 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 83 mg
- Potassium
- 224 mg
- Calcium
- 178 mg
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 18 mg
- Phosphorus
- 148 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 292 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 10 mcg
- Water
- 39 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C or 320°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 20cm springform pan with parchment paper.
Place the digestive biscuits in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form.
Transfer the biscuit crumbs to a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and green cardamom powder, stirring until the mixture is evenly moistened.
Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan using the back of a spoon or a flat-bottomed glass.
Bake the crust at 160°C or 320°F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium speed until perfectly smooth and free of lumps.
Add the sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, cornstarch, rose water, and saffron-infused milk to the cream cheese. Beat on low speed just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Arrange the drained, halved gulab jamun pieces evenly over the cooled biscuit crust, flat side down.
Gently pour the cheesecake batter over the gulab jamun pieces, spreading it into an even layer with a spatula.
Bake at 160°C or 320°F for 45 to 55 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set but the center 5cm still has a slight wobble when gently shaken.
Turn off the oven and prop the door slightly open. Leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool slowly for 1 hour.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and transfer it to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, until completely firm.
Once fully chilled, carefully release the sides of the springform pan. Garnish the edges with chopped pistachios and dried edible rose petals before slicing.
Chef's Notes
- Squeeze the gulab jamuns gently to remove excess syrup before halving. This critical step prevents the heavy syrup from weeping into the cheesecake batter and altering the dense, creamy texture.
- Ensure your cream cheese is completely at room temperature before beating. Cold cream cheese will inevitably result in small, stubborn lumps that ruin the mouthfeel.
- Using an eggless base with condensed milk not only honors traditional Indian vegetarian dietary preferences but also provides a fudge-like density that pairs beautifully with the spongy gulab jamuns.
- To cut clean, professional slices, dip a sharp knife in a tall container of hot water, wipe it completely dry with a towel, and make your cut. Repeat this process for every single slice.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent the cheesecake from absorbing fridge odors.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze whole or in slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Troubleshooting
Cheesecake surface cracks
Cause: Overmixing the batter incorporating excess air, or cooling the cheesecake too rapidly
Fix: Cosmetic only. Cover the top with an extra layer of sliced gulab jamuns, whipped cream, or extra pistachios before serving
Prevention: Mix ingredients on low speed once condensed milk is added, and strictly adhere to the gradual oven cooling step
Soggy biscuit crust
Cause: Excess syrup weeping from the gulab jamun during baking
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked
Prevention: Drain the gulab jamun pieces thoroughly on paper towels and squeeze very gently before placing them on the crust
Cheesecake center is completely liquid
Cause: Oven temperature was too low or baking time was too short
Fix: If discovered after chilling, freeze the cheesecake to serve it as a frozen dessert
Prevention: Ensure oven is properly calibrated and check for the correct jiggle cue before turning off the heat
Cultural Context
Gulab jamun is one of South Asia's most beloved sweets, consisting of deep-fried milk solid dumplings soaked in a fragrant sugar syrup infused with rose and cardamom. By embedding these tender dumplings into a Western-style baked cheesecake, this dessert beautifully bridges culinary traditions. The fusion has become immensely popular during Diwali and modern Indian weddings, representing a globalized approach to festive celebrations.
