Mishti Doi (Bengali Caramelised Sweet Yogurt)
مشٹی دوئی (بنگال کا کیرامل والا میٹھا دہی)
Mishti doi (sweet yogurt) is the dessert that ends almost every Bengali celebration. Milk is simmered until slightly thickened, sweetened with sugar cooked to a dark caramel (or with *nolen gur*, date-palm jaggery, in winter), then cooled to warm and set with a little yogurt culture, traditionally in unglazed clay pots that absorb extra moisture. The result is thick, creamy and gently tangy, with a beautiful caramel colour. It needs only three ingredients and a night's patience.
- ⏱ Total: 35 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 25 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Simmer the milk in a heavy pan for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until reduced by about a quarter.
Meanwhile, melt 3 tbsp of the sugar with the water in a small pan and cook without stirring until it turns a deep amber caramel. Carefully pour it into the hot milk (it will sputter) and stir until dissolved. Add the remaining sugar.
Cool the milk until just warm, about 40–45°C (comfortable to keep your finger in for 10 seconds). Whisk the yogurt with a little of the milk, then stir it into the rest with the cardamom.
Pour into clay pots or a bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 8–10 hours until set. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Serve chilled, straight from the pot.
Kitchen notes
Clay pots absorb moisture and make mishti doi thicker. Small terracotta pots or a glazed bowl both work.
If the milk is too hot when you add the starter, the yogurt turns watery and sour; if too cool, it won't set.
In winter, set it inside a switched-off oven with the light on.
Bengal’s sweet yogurt
In Bengal, no wedding, birthday or festival meal is complete without mishti doi. It’s sold in sweet shops in little clay pots called bhaanr, and buying a pot for guests is a gesture of welcome. It’s also served at the end of everyday meals to settle the stomach after spicy food.
The caramel
What makes mishti doi different from simply sweetened yogurt is the caramel. Cooking part of the sugar until dark amber adds a gentle bitterness and a toffee-like colour. In winter, Bengalis use nolen gur, a fragrant jaggery made from date-palm sap, which gives an even deeper flavour.
Setting it right
Like making ordinary yogurt (see our guide to cooking with yogurt), temperature is the key: warm milk, a little live yogurt, and a warm, undisturbed place. Clay pots help it set thick by absorbing moisture.
Serving
Serve chilled, on its own or after a Bengali meal of macher jhol and rice. Pair it with rasgulla for a classic Bengali sweet plate.
Questions people ask
Can I make it without caramelising the sugar?
Yes, but the caramel gives mishti doi its colour and flavour. Date-palm jaggery or brown sugar is a simpler option.
How long does mishti doi keep?
Up to 4 days in the fridge. It becomes slightly more tangy each day.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 230
- Protein
- 8 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
