Milk Barfi Recipe

Plain White Milk Barfi is an Indian sweet made from milk powder and is prepared for special occasions. This Milk Powder Barfi Recipe has a crumbly texture just like the Barfi you would find in Indian sweet shops.

The special technique found in this recipe helps you get the best results every single time.

What is Barfi / Barfee / Burfi

Barfi is a milk-based Indian sweet treat made from simple ingredients. It is set and the end result has a soft crumbly texture. It is mostly made during the festive season and is also called Indian mithai.

The word Barfi comes from the Persian or Hindi word "Barf" meaning "ice". Barfi is a plain white sweet that can be found across the Indian subcontinent.

Milk Barfi recipe can be made from either whole milk powder or khoya (a traditional method whereby milk solids are produced by reducing milk). Milk and sugar are also components of barfi.

The most basic plain barfi is the milk burfi and but there are plenty of other burfi recipes that follow a similar cooking process.

There are many different types of burfi and all are popular choices depending on the occasion.

These are the types of Barfi that we prepare at home.

Besan Barfi - Besan Burfi is prepared with chickpea flour

Coconut Burfi - similar to coconut ice, this Indian recipe can be made with fresh coconut or dried desiccated coconut often these coconut barfi are also flavoured with rose syrup to make coconut rose barfi

Kaju Barfi - like Kaju katli , this indian dessert is prepared with cashew nuts

Badam Barfi - made with ground almond flour

Chocolate Barfi - this barfi is also made from full-fat milk powder and has a layer of milk chocolate on top

Baklava Barfi

Rose Burfi - a few drops of rose water can be added to the plain barfi mixture to make rose barfi.

Mango Burfi - mango pulp is added to the mixture

Pista Barfi - Pistachio burfi is made from ground pistachio nuts and plain burfi mixture. We have made a double layer Chocolate Pista Burfi

Why you will love this easy recipe

Suitable for vegetarians

One of the best gluten free mithai (check your milk powder is suitable)

Perfect dessert – the crumbly texture is similar to your mithai shop

A great recipe for the festival season whether Diwali, Eid, Holi, Raksha Bandhan

Easy to find basic ingredients and suitable for beginners

Packed with a medley of delicious nuts and aromatic cardamom

Makes a wonderful and thoughtful homemade gift

Peda vs Barfi

Both peda and barfi may seem similar but they definitely have their differences.

Peda or Penda/Pedha has a soft, chewy yet melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Our Rajkot na Peda are an example of this smooth texture.

The best barfi or burfee has a crumbly texture that feels almost flakey. This unique texture arises from the ghee (clarified butter) which shortens the milk powder, giving it that particular finish. The nuts also play their hand too.

Peda and Barfi are often described as Indian fudge. And to some extent, that is the most similar this Indian sweet can get to a British sweet.

We did a fusion recipe and took Cornish clotted cream and Indian Peda to make Clotted Cream Peda

Milk Powder Barfi Ingredients

Full measurement can be found in the recipe card below

Milk Powder – full fat milk powder is the main ingredient for milk barfi. It is easy to find in British and Asian grocery stores. Try to use the full cream milk powder rather than skimmed. If using skimmed milk powder, use heavy/double cream along with the milk.

Use leftover milk powder to make Gulab Jamun

Milk – use whole milk.

Sugar – granulated white sugar works best. Do not use powdered sugar that has cornstarch in it

Ghee – homemade ghee or desi ghee works. As an alternative, use unsalted butter however you will not achieve the same flavour

Nuts – known as dry fruit in Indian. Finely chop or semi-powder your nuts using a grinder. Use a mix of nuts here. The nuts are essential to perfect barfi

Cardamom powder – can be added to the nuts and ground together

Garnish (optional)

Edible silver foil or varq

More chopped nuts

Rose petals

Condensed Milk Barfi

Instead of heating milk and sugar, use ready-made condensed milk.

Heat the condensed milk in a heavy bottom pan. Do not heat for long as the condensed milk is already cooked. As soon as it heats, add the milk powder and follow the next steps.

Can I use khoya or mawa instead of milk powder?

Definitely yes, just dry roast the khoya for a few minutes before making the milk and sugar mixture.

How to make Milk Barfi

This plain milk powder burfi recipe is made in three steps.

First – shorten the milk powder

This step is the best way to achieve crumbly barfi. Simply mixing milk powder into the milk sugar syrup will lead to a sticky mouth texture.

You may need to gently heat ghee in the microwave or pan if it has solidified.

Take dry milk powder in a bowl

Add 1 teaspoon ghee

Then add 2 tablespoon milk

Mix with your fingertips and leave it aside for half an hour

Second - Make Milk Chasni (milk syrup) or Condensed Milk

Take sugar in a heavy base pan or kadai

Add milk

Stir with a spatula on low heat

The milk will go very runny and watery as the sugar melts, don’t worry. This is because sugar has its own water content

Cook the mixture till it goes thick just like a runnier version of condensed milk

Third - Cook Barfi Mixture and Set

Dry roast the milk powder from earlier on a low flame in a separate pan. The colour should not change but you will get a gentle aroma from the milk powder.

Alternatively, cook the milk powder in the microwave for 1 minute

Add roasted milk powder into the chasni

Mix and stir on low to medium heat to bring the mixture together

Within a couple of minutes the mixture will come together. If it seems too dry, add a few tablespoons of milk

Add ground nuts and cardamom powder

Mix well at this stage the mixture will leave the sides of the pan, turn off the heat.

Add little ghee and mix

Spread in a single layer in a greased thali or baking tray lined with parchment paper. Press down gently with the back of a spoon to flatten

Apply silver edible foil aka chandi ka varq (optional) and let the burfi set.

Tips on how to make Barfi shop style

The step where we add the ghee to the milk powder and leave it for a while is to help shorten the milk powder and get that flaky texture.

Do not over mix the barfi mixture or else the barfi will become smooth and not flaky

The right time to remove the mixture from the heat is when the mixture just starts leaving the side of the pan. Another tip is to take a small piece of the mixture and roll between your fingers. If it rolls into a ball, it is set.

Use a lined tray to set the barfi as it will make it easier to remove.

You may need to adjust the amount of milk powder to thicken the barfi if your mixture has become too loose.

Serving

Serve on its own or after a meal for special occasions such as birthdays or festivities.

Decorate with beautiful vark – edible real silver

Storing

Do not store in the fridge, it will stay fresh for 3-4 days at room temperature.

Keep in an airtight container – check for any residual smells in the container, and keep covered.

Wait until the barfi has completely cooled before completely covering and storing away

Freeze barfi for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Allow to thaw at room temperature.

Other Indian Sweets

Easy Indian Dessert Recipes for dinner parties

Ricotta Cheese Peda

Gujarati Shakarpara

Atte ka Halwa

Peanut Chikki

Ricotta Cheese Kalakand

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Note - This recipe was posted on our blog on 9th of April 2010 since I have updated the post with new content and pictures.