Place sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to the boil. The mixture will bubble up and become very sticky. Stir in cardamom. Remove from heat. When the mixture cools down slightly, add rose essence and stir. Set aside.

Cut off the crusts from the bread slices. Tear into small pieces. Place the pieces in a bowl. Add milk little by little to wet the bread pieces. Knead gently to form sticky dough. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.

Apply a little oil on the palm of your hands. Make small lemon-sized balls (around 18) and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil for deep frying in a large pan over medium heat. Turn them occasionally so all the sides get an even brown color. When the jamuns are lightly browned, drain onto an absorbent paper towel. Transfer the fried jamuns to the sugar syrup mixture. Allow to soak for at least two hours.

Serve warm or chilled.