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Can You Freeze Gulab Jamun?

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By Ross Young

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Gulab jamun is one of the most delectable desserts on the Indian sub-continent. Essentially doughnuts immersed in warm, sweet and sticky syrup… What more could you want? But what’s the best way to store them if you’ve gone a little overboard?

Can You Freeze Gulab Jamun?

Yes, you can freeze gulab jamun for up to 3 months. Once you have fried them, remove them from the heat and allow them sufficient time to cool. You should then place them in an airtight container before transferring them to the freezer.

Do Gulab Jamun Freeze Well? Yes

Can You Refreeze Gulab Jamun? No

How to Freeze Gulab Jamun

Anyone who has enjoyed gulab jamun will tell you just how delicious they are! While they’re best enjoyed fresh out of the pan and covered in syrup, you can freeze them for up to three months if you have made a big batch that you can’t quite get through!

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Cool
    Once you have fried your gulab jamun, place them on a plate before adding the syrup. Leave them sitting at room temperature for an hour or so until they have cooled completely. 
  2. Place in a Container
    Line a Tupperware box with greaseproof paper and place the gulab jamun on top. Make sure they are well spread out and not too bunched together, as you don’t want them to clump together in the freezer. 
  3. Label and Freeze
    Write today’s date and the use-by date on the top of the box and place your gulab jamun in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze gulab jamun for around three months.

3 Tips for Freezing Gulab Jamun

Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing gulab jamun to have the best results:

Freeze Before Adding the Syrup
One of the best things about gulab jamun is the syrup that you add to the dish after frying the dough. However, to save yourself some mess and hassle, we’d recommend freezing your gulab jamun before covering them with syrup, for obvious reasons! You can always add the syrup when you come to reheat them in the future.

Serve with Ice Cream
When you reheat your gulab jamun, make sure you try them with a generous scoop of your favourite ice cream! The contrast in textures works perfectly and can help mask any textural changes that may occur during freezing.

Fry on a Low Heat
Some people fall into the trap of frying gulab jamun on a heat that is too high in the first instance. Doing so will result in dough balls that are hard inside and not fully cooked. Therefore, when you’re frying your gulab jamun, do so on a low-medium heat to ensure they’re cooked to perfection before you set about freezing them.

How Long Can You Freeze Gulab Jamun?

You can freeze gulab jamun for around three months. While you might be tempted to leave them in the freezer for longer than this, we wouldn’t recommend doing so.

This is because the ice crystals that form during the freezing process can alter the taste and texture of the dough balls, which is far from ideal!

Providing they’re tightly wrapped, you can store gulab jamun at room temperature for a week, while they can be kept in the fridge for up to a month. However, if you know in advance that you’re going to freeze them, get them in the freezer as soon as you can while they’re still super fresh.

You Can Freeze Gulab Jamun for up to 3 Months

How Do You Defrost Gulab Jamun?

When you’re ready to enjoy your gulab jamun, remove the container from the freezer and place it in the fridge. Your gulab jamun will then thaw out in a matter of hours and be ready to reheat in any way that you choose.

That being said, you can also enjoy gulab jamun at room temperature if you don’t want to reheat them. Just take the box out of the fridge and sit the dough on the countertop for an hour or so.

But don’t forget to add the syrup after you have defrosted your gulab jamun – arguably the most important ingredient in the dish!

Can You Refreeze Gulab Jamun?

We wouldn’t recommend refreezing gulab jamun. This is because the delicate dough is affected by the freezing and thawing process, and you might ruin the delectable consistency of the balls if you freeze them more than once.

However, there’s unlikely to be anything dangerous about refreezing them; we just wouldn’t recommend doing so from a taste and texture perspective.

Do Gulab Jamun Freeze Well?

While you can’t beat gulab jamun that is fresh out of the fryer and covered in syrup, these delicious Indian dough balls freeze really well.

Just make sure they have cooled sufficiently and are protected from freezer burn, and they should be good in the freezer for around three months.

If you’ve still got questions about freezing gulab jamun, then these may help:

How Do You Reheat Frozen Gulab Jamun?

First, you need to thaw them slowly in the fridge. Once they have defrosted, place them into a pan over a medium heat and warm through for 5 minutes or so, flipping occasionally to ensure they don’t burn to the pan.

How Long Can You Keep Gulab Jamun in the Fridge?

If they’re stored in an airtight container, gulab jamun will keep for around a month in the fridge before they need to be thrown out.

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