Traditional Indian Coconut Burfi made with coconut, sugar, milk, nuts and cardamom powder. I share 3 recipes to make the barfi.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 2 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 17 minutes
  • Yield: 16 · 16 burfi
  • Category: Dessert / Sweet
  • Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

  • 4¼ cups coconut ((400 grams fresh or 180 grams desiccated))
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons ghee
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder ((elaichi))
  • 2 tablespoons cashews (chopped or pistachios)
  • 2 cups milk ((3 cups if using desiccated coconut))
  • 1¾ cup desiccated coconut ((fine))
  • ½ tin condensed milk (or milkmaid (about ½ cup + 2 tbsp))
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder (or elaichi powder)
  • 2 cups desiccated coconut
  • 1½ cups mawa ((150 grams))
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder ((elaichi powder))
  • 1 teaspoon ghee
  • 2 tablespoons pistachios or almonds ((finely chopped for topping))

Method

Preparation

  1. Grease a pan and optionally line it with a parchment paper.
  2. Heat a pan with 1 tbsp ghee. Fry cashews until golden and remove to a plate.

Recipe - 1 - How to make Coconut Burfi

  1. Stir together coconut and milk. Bring it to a boil on a medium high flame.
  2. Reduce the heat and cook until the milk evaporates. Stir in the sugar and cook until all of the moisture has completely evaporated.
  3. Add ghee and continue to cook stirring constantly until the mixture turns dry & leaves the pan.
  4. Press down the mixture with a spatula to check if there is any excess moisture. If it still has moisture then cook further to dry it. (check video)
  5. Keep stirring continuously at this stage and cook until the mixture turns dense, thick and sticky. It also turns very aromatic and leaves the pan. If you prefer a very soft set burfi then take it off a bit early.
  6. Stir in cardamom powder and Transfer the mixture to the greased pan. Press down with a spatula.
  7. Sprinkle nuts and keep aside at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours to set. Slice the coconut burfi. Leave it at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours to set completely. Cool and store coconut barfi in a air tight jar.

Recipe - 2 - Coconut Condensed Milk Barfi

  1. To a pan, add coconut, desiccated coconut and milk.
  2. Mix and cook on a medium flame until the entire mixture turns thick and to a mass. Add cardamom powder and mix. Transfer this to a tray.
  3. Press down with a spatula. Sprinkle some nuts. Refrigerate for an hour. Cut coconut barfi to squares and enjoy.

Recipe 3 - Coconut Mawa Burfi

  1. Add mawa, sugar and milk to a heavy bottom pan. Heat until the mawa and sugar dissolves completely.
  2. Stir in the coconut and cook until the coconut burfi mixture turns thick to a mass and begins to leave the sides of the pan.
  3. Stir in cardamom powder and transfer to a greased pan. Level with a spatula and press down the nuts with spatula.
  4. When the mixture cools down to warm, cut the coconut burfi to desired shapes. Do not wait to cool completely as it turns to powder.
  5. Remove from the tray only after cooling completely.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.