Active time to make: 20 minutes
Milk barfi is one of the easiest Indian dessert recipes. Like Kaju Katli, milk burfi is a pretty popular Indian sweet.
This milk powder burfi recipe is for a plain burfi. It is often likened to a milk fudge but it has a slight crumb texture that is characteristic of the sweet.
I use milk powder for this easy burfi recipe. It is perfect to make for many special occasions or during the festive season as a Diwali sweet.
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy: this Indian mithai requires about 20 minutes active time
- Simple ingredients: uses 5 pantry ingredients
- Delicious: burfi is popular for a reason!
- Vegetarian and gluten-free
With some patience, it is easy to get this white barfi color and slightly crumbly yet melt-in-your-mouth texture, just like at the mithai shop!
Key Ingredient Notes
This milk powder barfi recipe only requires a few ingredients.
- Whole milk powder – this recipe requires whole milk powder (full-fat milk powder). If you use skim milk powder you will need extra cream.
- Cardamom powder
- Sugar – white sugar is used
- Ghee – Use pure ghee, homemade ghee always tastes great!
- Optional – Chopped mix nuts or for garnish
Making it
Place a non-stick pan on low heat on the stove. Heat ghee in the pan until it melts. Add in whole milk. Mix with ghee. (Image 1)
Add in milk powder slowly while stirring to combine with a whisk to break apart lumps.
Add in sugar. Continue stirring on low heat. You will notice the mixture begins to solidify as the water is burned out. Keep stirring on low. (Image 2)
It will slowly begin to thicken as it cooks. (Image 3)
After about 10 minutes you will see the barfi mixture easily come away from the pan. It becomes a thicker almost paste-like mixture. Turn off gas and remove from heat. (Image 4)
Add in cardamom powder and mix. (Image 5)
Line a pan with parchment paper. Spread the barfi mixture into a block/rectangular-like shape. Add chopped nuts and lightly press into the mixture. Let cool to room temperature and most importantly dry. Overnight is best and then you will get the right texture.
Cut into pieces and serve.
Other options for garnishing the burfi include edible silver leaf or gold leaf, rose petals, saffron strands, or your choice of dry fruit.
Tips for getting the white color of barfi
- Cook on low flame
- Mix milk powder and milk before adding to pan to reduce lumps
- Use a whisk to help incorporate well
- Give it time to dry! This is key to getting the right texture
Giving barfi mixture time to dry is important. If you want to serve it quickly you can put it in the fridge so it cools quickly. But leaving it out to dry and cover gives it a great texture.
Variations
Using this recipe which makes 6 pieces, you can double/triple, etc. to fit the needs of your party. Using this milk barfi base recipe you can add in so many flavors it is honestly endless.
Some of my favorite mash-up flavors include Oreo Barfi, Tiramisu Barfi, and Biscoff Burfi.
A few other ideas include ground-roasted almonds or pistachios, chocolate, or even saffron. Get creative!
There are many different types of burfi you can explore:
Badam barfi
Coconut barfi
Khoya barfi
Chocolate burfi
Besan burfi
Cashew burfi or Kaju barfi
FAQs
Store barfi in an air-tight container. Out on the counter for about a week. In the fridge, it will be good for about two weeks.
If your burfi is chewy you have overcooked the mixture resulting in a harder texture. Be sure to watch the heat level and time while making this sweet.
You have a few options. To make milk barfi without milk powder you can use condensed milk or the traditional method of using khoya or using full-fat milk. If you want a condensed milk barfi, my Cookies and Cream Burfi uses this method.
You can make condensed milk barfi in a microwave. The result is a more solid/thicker consistency vs the more traditional slight crumble texture.
While peda and barfi are similarly made from condensed milk solids, they have some differences. Peda are round-shaped, more firm in texture, and made of khoya. Barfi is also made of condensed milk solids, khoya or besan, or a variety of other flavors and fillings.
Pro Tips
- Cook on a low flame to prevent burning and get the white color.
- Stir and use a whisk to help break apart lumps.
- Use a sharp knife to cut shapes
- Giving barfi mixture time to dry is important. If you want to serve it quickly you can put it in the fridge so it cools quickly. But leaving it out to dry and cover gives it a great texture.
20 Minute Milk Barfi or Milk Powder Burfi
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Heavy bottom pan / non stick
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup whole milk powder 115g
- ¼ cup sugar 50g (if you like very sweet can increase)
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds) optional, topping
Instructions
- Put a non-stick pan on low on the stove. Add ghee and melt. Add in whole milk. Mix with ghee. Add in milk powder slowly while stirring to combine with whisk to break apart lumps.
- Add in sugar. Continue stirring on low heat. You will notice the mixture begin to solidify as the water is burned out. Keep stirring on low.
- After about 10 minutes you will see the barfi mixture easily comes away from the pan. It becomes a thicker almost paste like mixture. Turn off gas and remove from heat.
- Add in cardamom powder and mix.
- Line a pan with parchment paper. Spread the barfi mixture into a block/rectangular like shape. Add chopped nuts and lightly press into mixture. Let cool and most importantly dry. Overnight is best and then you will get the right texture.Note: Giving barfi mixture time to dry is important. If you want to serve it quickly you can put it in the fridge so it cools quick. But leaving it out to dry and covered gives it a great texture.
- Cut into pieces and serve.
