This Milk Powder Barfi has a crumbly texture just like the Barfi you would find at a mithaiwala or halwai. The special technique found in this Barfi recipe gets you perfect results every single time.
BARFI
What is Barfi/Barfee
Barfi is a milk-based Indian sweet.
It has few ingredients. It can be made from either milk powder or khoya (a milk solid produced by heating milk until the moisture evaporates). Milk and sugar are also components of barfi.
Milk Powder Barfi
My Mum learned this recipe from a friend of my Dads about 2 decades ago. Since then, she has never made plain milk barfi using any other recipe and she swears by this method and measurements.
Every time, she achieved the best crumbliest barfi.
Naturally, I had to try my hand at it too!
It is:
✔️Suitable for vegetarians
✔️Gluten-free (check your milk powder is suitable)
✔️Perfect results - every. time.
✔️Easy to find ingredients
✔️Packed with a medley of delicious nuts and aromatic cardamom
✔️Makes a wonderful and thoughtful homemade gift
The texture of 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.
Chocolate and Peanut Barfi and Millionnaire Shortbread Barfi are examples.
Pedas and Barfis 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
Barfi with Condensed Milk
Low on time. No problem.
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 milk and sugar mixture.
When to make/serve Barfi?
Barfi can be prepared for festivals, celebrations, given as a gift or can be made just because. It is a versatile sweet.
🥛 Milk Powder Barfi Ingredients
Milk Powder - easy to find in British and Asian grocery stores. Try to use the full cream variety rather than skimmed
Milk - use whole milk
Sugar - granulated white sugar works best
Ghee - homemade ghee or desi ghee works.
Nuts - finely chopped or semi-powdered.
Cardamom powder - can be added to the nuts and ground together
💡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 flakey texture.
The texture when cooking to look out for when cooking is when the mixture just starts leaving the edge of the pan.
Serving:
Serve on its own or after a meal.
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 a 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
📝Method:
This plain barfi is made in three steps.
First STEP - Shorten the milk powder
Take milk powder in a bowl (pic 1).
Add ghee (pic 2).
Then add milk (pic 3).
Mix with your fingertips and leave it aside for half an hour (pic 4).
Second STEP
Make Milk Chasni or Condensed Milk
Take sugar in a heavy base pan or kadai (pic 4).
Add milk (pic 5).
Let it mix (pic 6).
Stir with a spatula on low heat (pic 7).
The milk will go very runny and watery, don't worry. This is because sugar has melted (pic 8)
Cook the mixture till it goes thick just like condensed milk (pic 9).
Third STEP
Cook Barfi Mixture and Set
While making milk chasni, dry roast the milk powder in another pan for a couple of minutes or in the microwave for a minute or so without burning.
Add roasted milk powder in the chasni (pic 10).
Mix and stir to bring the mixture together (pic 11).
In less than a minute the mixture will come together (pic 12-13)
Add ground nuts and cardamom powder (pic 14).
Mix well at this stage the mixture will leave the pan, turn off the heat. (pic 15). -
Add little ghee and mix (pic 16-17).
Spread in greased thali or tray lined with parchment paper. (pic 18)
Apply silver edible foil aka chandi ka varq (optional) and let it cool completely, then cut (pic 19)
Other Indian Mithai/Sweets
Besan Ladoo Halwai Style
Peanut Katli
Sweet Vermicelli without Milk
Churma Ladoo with Sugar
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🖶 Recipe Card
Yield: 6 BIG PIECES

BARFI
This delightful Barfi recipe is super easy and straightforward and made with only a few ingredients.
Prep time: 30 MCook time: 15 MTotal time: 45 M
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cup full cream milk powder
- 3/4 cup whole milk + 2 tbsp. more
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup crushed nuts (almond, cashew and pistachio)
- 2 tsp. ghee
- 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
Equipment/Tools
- Heavy base pan or kadai
- Spatula
- Tray
- Knife
Instructions:
- Mix milk powder with 2 tbsp milk and 1 tsp. ghee and leave aside for 1/2 hour.
- Dry roast the powder mix in a pan over the stove for a couple of minutes without burning, or in the microwave for 1 minute.
- Now heat 3/4 cup milk and sugar on low heat until looks like condensed milk.
- Add roasted milk powder in the milk and quickly stir and mix.
- Then add crushed nuts and cardamom powder and mix.
- As soon as the mixture starts leaving the pan, add remaining ghee and turn off the heat.
- Spread evenly on the greased plate and allow it to cool, you may stick some silver edible foil if you want.
- Let it cool completely and cut into the desired shape.
- Enjoy!
Notes:
Nuts allergy? you can totally avoid it if you want. Instead, add the same amount of milk powder.
Love saffron, add a few strands of when making milk chasni.
Love saffron, add a few strands of when making milk chasni.
Calories
200.82
200.82
Fat (grams)
10.42
10.42
Sat. Fat (grams)
3.56
3.56
Carbs (grams)
23.46
23.46
Fiber (grams)
0.81
0.81
Net carbs
22.66
22.66
Sugar (grams)
21.72
21.72
Protein (grams)
5.13
5.13
Sodium (milligrams)
70.04
70.04
Cholesterol (grams)
12.79
12.79
The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.
All rights reserved -2010-2020 Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey
PIN BARFI FOR LATER
Note - this recipe originally posted on 09th April 2010, since we have updated the post with newer images and content.
Happy Birthday to the King of your heart! Barfi looks good.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your better half. Double treat, cool. Burfi looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteJagruti, I love all types of Barfi. Thanks for sharing this version!
ReplyDeleteA very Happy Birthday to your Husband!
Jagurti,
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your husband nice burfi
Dear Jagruti,Burfi looks very delicious and mouthwatering.A very Happy Birthday To your Husband.Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteA absolutely Joy filled stunning happy happy birthday to PRincce charming....ur soul mate and the joy of ur life....
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday JAgs Raj....and love this birhtday burfi so so muc..
Fantastic Happy sunshine stunning Spring filled day to u all....
Your husband is so lucky to have such a sweet treat on his Birthday...and a sweet wife...I wish him a very happy birthday.
ReplyDeleteBirthday Wishes to your hubby :) Barfi looks delicious...nice way to celebrate :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Better Half..he he!
ReplyDeleteDessert looks so yummy!
Enjoy!
xoxo
Happy birthday to ur husband...the barfi looks grt....
ReplyDeleteMany happy bithday wishes to your better half..
ReplyDeleteHope you all enjoyed with this delicious burfi...
Yummy Burfi. Wishes to your Husband
ReplyDeleteHy Jagruti,
ReplyDeleteHappy B day to your Better half. Burfi is tempting...super presentation...this is just brilliant.
Happy birthday to your DH..
ReplyDeleteAwesome burfi..hope you all have a wonderful day :-)
Great sweet burfi! Love the sweetness!
ReplyDeletehi many many happy returns of the day my dear jiju happy birthday,nice barfi pls send me
ReplyDeleteBday wishes to your hubby,and nice way to begin a wonderful day for him with this yummy burfi..looks delicious..
ReplyDeletePlease pass on my B'day wishes to your hubby :-)
ReplyDeleteBurfi looks great and have a wonderful weekend!!!
Deepa
A Very Happy Birthday to your husband!!! Burfi looks mouthwatering!!!! Have a joyous weekend!!
ReplyDelete... allora buon compleanno, e non conoscevo questo dolce è molto invitante / gustoso. Felice fine settimana ◕‿◕
ReplyDeleteLoved the version of burfi, click looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteHope your husband has a great birthday and wonderful year ahead...lovely burfi...jags.
ReplyDeleteA very happy birthday to your husband! Great looking barfi...
ReplyDeleteOne question - if I wanted to make mango burfi, would I add pulp and cook it down or add mango essence or both? Thanks...
Hey thanks guys!
ReplyDeleteyes so far we are having good day..:-)))))
Burfi looks fantastic and tempting..my hearty birthday wishes to u better half..
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your Better Half.
ReplyDeleteBurfi looks very tempting and my b'day wishes to ur husband :-)
ReplyDeletethat was very 'sweet' :)
ReplyDeleteHey Jagruthi a very happy birthday to ur better half and the burfis r delicious and tempting and mouth watering.
ReplyDeleteHey jagruti a very happy birth day to ur hubby...burfi looks so tempting...yummy pics, loved them...nice recipe...hey nice song dear, god choice...enjoy the day
ReplyDeleteMany happy returns of the day to your hubby.Wishing him mant sweet and memorial and joyful years to come.Barfi looks delicious.Looking forward to the eggless birthday cake too.
ReplyDeleteyummy delicious burfi dear....
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your hubby!
ReplyDeleteBarfi looks so festive and perfect way to celebrate!
Happy B'day to your hubby. Burfi looks very yummy.
ReplyDeleteBelated Happy birthday to your DH!! I am sure he was flattered with this lovely Barfi and the cake I am waiting for!! So sweet of you! :)
ReplyDeleteYour husband must have had the happiest of birthdays. The barfi sounds sweet and delicious and I'm sure you also had a wonderful cake for him. Have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary
ReplyDeleteYUM! Love the video too!
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely post, Jagruti! many many happy returns of the day and my best wishes to your husband. burfi looks so temptingly delicious :)
ReplyDeleteA very happy birthday to ur hubby....thats really cool..such lovely burfi.....by the way which part r u in uk?
ReplyDeletelovely write-up and video Jagruti! Belated bday wishes to the better half :) Must say, he's a lucky guy to have double treats on his bday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your better half!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your Husband, May he enjoy many and many years of loving life..
ReplyDeleteI am very interested in this dessert, love coconuts and this sounds simple to prepare
Dear Jagruti,
ReplyDeletebarfi looks delicious
some awards are waiting for u at my blog..Please stop by to collect them
Delicious barfi... he must be very happy. always wife gift's are the best what ever it may be..:-)
ReplyDeleteji jag,
ReplyDeleteam frm feltham
Birthday wishes from me too, although late!
ReplyDeleteThe barfi is also nice :)
sounds like a yummy sweet treat!
ReplyDeleteHappy Bday to ur Better Half!!
ReplyDeletethis sweetmeat must have definitely been a lovely treat !!
Hope he enjoyed it! A lovely sweet treat.
ReplyDeleteHappy b'day to ur better half. Loved the recipe n the opening line too ....
ReplyDeleteTht was so sweet of u to dedicate such a lovely song to him :) method luks interesting nd nice :)
ReplyDeleteAmazing Recipe of Barfi.. I will try definitely
ReplyDelete