Thandai Cupcakes with Shrikhand Frosting

In a saucepan, add the milk, sugar and all the ingredients for the thandai mix. Put the saucepan to heat, stirring till the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat once the sugar has dissolved and keep it aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius. Line a 12 cup, cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Keep it aside.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix and keep aside. Then melt the butter and keep aside.

Once the milk cools to room temperature, add the cornflour and whisk it well to combine. Then add the butter and mix again.

Add the flour mixture to the liquid mix and whisk well to remove lumps. Fill the cupcake moulds till they are 3/4 full and bake for 15 minutes (start checking at 12 minutes). Its done if a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To make the shrikhand, tie the yogurt/ curd in a muslin cloth/cheesecloth and give it a good squeeze to remove the whey. Put it in a strainer and put the strainer over a deep bowl.

Put some weight on the yogurt and leave it to strain overnight in the refrigerator. (From 1 kg yogurt, you should be left with 500 gm of hung curd i.e. after the whey has been drained.)

Finely chop the white chocolate and gently melt it either in the microwave or over a double boiler.

Add the 1/2 kg hung curd, cardamom powder and powdered sugar in a bowl. Beat it well with a whisk or an electric beater. Add the melted white chocolate and beat to combine.

Frost the cooled cupcakes with shrikhand. Garnish with chopped almonds and fennel seeds.