India with its diverse culture has some common features which unite us strongly. Across the whole extent of the country festivals and happy occasions do not complete without delectable sweets and traditional desserts. Each day is the day of some or the other festive significance here. Even some special sweets are meant for particular festivals and each and everyone would buy those from the market or prepare at home as a custom. In fact, preparations begin days before the festivals and occasions
All these desserts and sweets are delicious, bursting with the flavours and aromas. One such sweet is badam burfi or almond fudge, which I made before Diwali this year. I wanted to try an easy recipe which could be prepared in no time with the easily available ingredients in our kitchens. I think that we all are fond of badams/almonds and keep a ready stock at our homes so, why not make a delicious burfi out of this healthy nut. I made this burfi with the thick fleshy variety of almonds as these are quite easy to deskin. These are blended to purée consistency and cook with ghee, milk powder and sugar to thick consistency to set easily
Course – Dessert/Sweets/Indian Traditional Sweets
Cuisine – Indian
Prep Time – 3 hours
Cook Time – 25 Min
Total Time – 3 hrs 25 Min
Yield – 20 pieces
Author – Bharti Dhawan
Ingredients
• Almonds/badam( American almonds) – 1 cup or 250 gms
• Powered sugar – 100 gms or to taste
• Milk powder – 100 gms
• Ghee – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp for greasing the tray
• Some saffron/kesar strands
• Milk – 1/2 cup for blending badams/almonds
• Water to blanch the almond/badam – 2 cups
Instructions to make badam burfi
1- Boil water in a vessel and add badam/almonds. Let them rest in hot water for 2-3 hours. This will help to absorb water and swell up then the skin will come out easily
2- Blend the almonds in a blender with the help of some milk to get an almond paste or purée
3- Heat ghee in a nonstick pan and add almond puree and stir continuously to avoid sticking at the bottom
* Rember to stir at a very low flame. You won’t like its burning smell. right!
4- At this stage add powdered sugar, milk powder and some saffron strands. The sugar will release some water and the mix will become a little liquidy
5- Keep on stirring at medium flame now until the mix comes together to leave the pan
6- Immediately transfer this mix into the greased tray and spread evenly with a spatula or with the bottom of a flat base bowl
* I find it easier with the flat base bowl
7- The burfi will set firmly within two hours to cut pieces into desired shapes and size
* If you find it a little messy to cut, refrigerate it for 30 minutes. This will help to make sharp and easy cuts
WishIng everyone a very happy and prosperous Dipawali!
Stay safe! Have fun!