Barfi, barfee, or burfi is a dense milk based sweet confectionery from the Indian Subcontinent, a type of mithai. Originally from India, the name is a derivative of the Persian word barf, which means snow. A few of the famous varieties of barfi include besan barfi (made with gram flour), kaaju barfi (made with cashews), pista barfi (made with ground pistachios), and sing barfi (made with peanuts).The main ingredients of plain barfis include condensed milk and sugar. The ingredients are cooked in a vessel until the mixture solidifies.
Barfi is a most popular indian sweet dish. Traditional burfi’s are made from mawa or khova, a condensed milk solid. There are various types of burfi’s which are available in indian market and also made in indian houses.
The flavor of a barfi is often enhanced with fruits (such as mango or coconut) or nuts (such as cashew, pistachio, or peanut) and spices (such as cardamom or rose water). Barfis are usually coated with a thin layer of edible metallic leaf known as vark. They are typically cut into square, diamond, or round shapes. The sweet is easily adapted for casual occasions to the most formal event, which explains its great and enduring popularity. Different types of Barfi vary in their color and texture.
The most popular spice used to flavor this Indian dessert is cardamom. However, dependent on where it is prepared, many different flavorings are added to this simple but popular dessert. Adding edible silver leaf (vark) to the edges of barfi is popular when the sweet confection is to be served at an important event such as a wedding or other such occasion. For added flavor and to provide a colorful contrast, often it is rolled in crushed nuts before it is served.
The confection is served in India, all year round, but especially consumed during the holiday seasons, wedding ceremonies, and the religious festivals.Barfi is served quite often at Diwali. This is the celebration of the Hindu festival of lights. The traditional Hindu cuisine is an important part of these annual festivities, along with firework displays and specially crafted decorative lamps.
Almond Burfi
Almond burfi (Badam burfi) is a delicious sweet made with almonds. It is healthy and rich in flavor. Badam burfi can be served in parties as a dessert or you can have it any time you feel like eating some sweet, take it with you for picnic or when you are travelling.
Almond burfi (Badam ki burfi) is such a great sweet, probably all the Indians like almond burfi. It is prepared with almond powder or almond paste and sugar and cardamom and saffron is added to flavor the burfi. These burfi’s are often decorated with edible silver leaf.
Badam burfi is very easy and quick to make. Almonds are a wonderful source of essential nutrients and have a lot of culinary uses. They are great garnish for desserts and are used in making the gravies, sauces and desserts.
| ALMOND BARFI | ORIGINAL PRICE | SPECIAL OFFER |
| 250gm(Approx. 3 - 6 pcs) | £5.00 | £3.00 |
| 500gm(Approx. 5 - 10 pcs) | £7.00 | £5.00 |
| 1k/g(Approx. 10 - 20 pcs) | £12.00 | £9.00 |
Ingredients :
1 - Cup of blanched almonds
½ - Cup of sugar or to your taste
1 - Tablespoon unsalted butter or ghee
5 - Tablespoons of water
Tips :
Grind the almonds nuts in a small portion at a time so that they become powder quickly, if you grind the nuts for too long nuts start getting oily.
If the almond paste is too dry and you are not able to spread the paste on rolling board nice and smooth, then place the paste back in the frying pan, add 1 or 2 spoons of hot water, mix and cook on low heat, making sure it comes to right consistency.
The success of almond burfi depends on the dough, it should be as soft and smooth as chapatti dough. If the dough is hard the burfi will become too hard if the dough is too soft it will be hard to lift burfi they will stick to the rolling board.
You can buy blenched almonds from grocery store. If you have time and you prefer to blenched them at home then follow these simple steps. * Boil 3 cups of water in a sauce pan.
Add the almonds in boiling water and let them boil for a 1 minute. Turn the stove off.
Do not leave the almond in the hot water for too long. It will make the almonds soft unless you want to soak them for grinding.
Drain the almonds in a colander and run cold water over them.
The skin of almonds will loosen and can be easily removed.
Remove the skin by pinching the nut between your thumb and forefinger, but be careful the almond nuts are slippery and they fly out of the skin.
Wash and drain the skinned almonds.
Once almonds are skinned spread them in a baking tray and place them in the oven on warm, leave them until dry, but do not toast the almond that will change the taste. If you have time then leave them on a tray on kitchen counter they will dry up.
