Gulab Jamun Cheesecake

“Dear God, thank you for the food before us and the family and friends beside us. Amen!”

This is the prayer my niece prays before she eats her meals. And although lately, it’s been more of a tactic to push meal time by a few minutes, it’s so sweet to hear her say.

When I’m praying in a group, I’m usually done in a few minutes and thinking, “so God…what’s new with you?” (Stupid question Akansha, He's the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow). I imagine God has far more important things to worry about than my meager requests. But that couldn't be further from the truth! He wants me to pour out my heart.

I've had friends give me advice, books, even pray for me to help me improve my prayer life. And the issue has been I've put the emphasis on myself. I've relied on my abilities and my will to change myself to do something only God can change. “I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me”- Philippians 4:13. Through Christ.

I thought my prayers needed to be poetic and lengthy for them to reach Him. He just needs me to come as I am. Faults and all.

My mom has always says, "we are here because of the people before us who earnestly prayed that the coming generations who prayed earnestly and unwaveringly that we would know and love Christ."

YOU are here because of the prayers of someone. What a beautiful expression of God's faithfulness.

So don't be discouraged if you are in the same position as me. If you're upset. Tell Him. If you're lost. Tell Him. If you're tired. Tell Him. If you're grateful. Tell Him. He listens.

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Bringing together two of my favorite desserts into one amazing gulab jamun cheesecake! I’ve been itching to make this for quite some time and now I can’t imagine why it took me so long. The cheesecake is perfectly creamy and sweet and in between bites you’re met with tiny morsels of gulab jamun. They go together so well that it’s inspired me to try some new fusion desserts. Maybe a rasmalai cheesecake or a jalebi funnel cake? What should I do next?

*Recipe*

Crust

- 8 Graham Crackers

- 1/4 c almond flour

- 1 T sugar

- 5 T melted butter

- 1/4 t cardamom powder

Cheesecake

- 16 oz cream cheese, at room remperature

- 1 c sugar

- 1/4 c heavy cream

- 1 c sour cream

- 2 1/2 T flour

- pinch of salt

- 1 t vanilla extract

- 2 eggs, room temperature

- 1 t rose essence

- pinch of saffron

- 1 can of Haldiram's Gulab Jamun

1. In a food processor add the graham crackers, sugar, melted butter, and cardamom powder and process until you get a crumbly mixture.

2. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 in. spring form cake pan. Line the sides with parchment paper strips so you are left with a cheesecake with perfectly smooth edges. Pour your graham cracker crust mixture into the pan and pat down. Using the bottom of a glass, push the crust down to make it smooth and a uniform thickness. You can push some of the crust up the sides of the pan if you wish. Bake in a 350 F preheated oven for 8-10 mins. Then set aside and cool while you work on the cheesecake itself.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whip, with a hand or stand mixer, your cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Then add the heavy cream and do the same.

4. At this time, add the sour cream, flour, salt, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Soak a few strands of saffron in 1 t of rose essence. And add that as well.

5. Crack one egg at a time and mix until just combined. DO NOT over mix at this point. Otherwise you will be left with a super dense cheesecake instead of a light and fluffy one.

6. Drain your gulab jamun from the syrup. If you can't find rose essence, just use a bit of this syrup to soak your saffron strands. Double foil your cake pan in preparation for the water bath. This way you ensure that NO water seeps into your crust. No one likes a soggy bottom.

Place enough gulab jamuns to cover the bottom of your cake pan and reserve a few to decorate on top. Then pour the cheesecake batter on top.

7. Place your cake pan into a heavy bottom roasting dish. Carefully pour boiling water to the roasting dish, about 1 in in depth. Place into the oven on the middle rack and bake at 350 F for 60 mins. Then turn off the oven and and keep in there for 1 hour.

8. Then take out of the oven and let it cool completely. Once cooled completely, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, ideally overnight.

Before your are ready to serve, if you wish you can garnish the top with whipped cream, chopped almonds and pistachios, and more gulab jamuns!