Most celebrations in India aren't complete without some kind of burfi or pedha. Both are different kinds of fudge, generally flavored with fruits, nuts, chocolate etc. - burfi in the form of cubes, while pedha as little balls. One of my favorites is malai burfi, especially the one we used to get from a store near our home called ‘Jagruti Sweets’. The fresh burfi used to be so soft that we couldn't cut it into pieces, and had to eat with a spoon….yummm. I've experimented a lot to get the same taste and texture using ricotta cheese and milk powder, but the best result I've got is using paneer! Paneer is a type of curd cheese very common in Indian cuisine. It is easily available at any Indian grocery store or can be made at home by curdling hot milk using lemon juice, yogurt or vinegar. Here's the quick and easy recipe for this delicious dessert.
Ingredients
~400g.
sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
1/3 cup
milk
250g.
finely grated paneer (Fresh homemade paneer works best since its super soft,
but I’ve used store bought frozen paneer as well and got good results)
1 tsp
ghee or clarified butter (optional) – can be found in Indian grocery stores.
1 tsp
cardamom powder
saffron
strands, chopped almonds and pistachios for garnishing (optional)
1. Combine
the sweetened condensed milk, grated paneer and milk in a non-stick pan.
2. Bring
to a boil while stirring continuously on medium-high heat.
3. Once
the mixture starts to thicken (~10 minutes), add ghee (if using) along the
sides of the pan.
4. Add
cardamom powder, saffron strands and chopped nuts.
5. Keep
stirring until the mixture starts to move as one mass.
6. Take
the pan off the heat and transfer the mixture to a tray/container. Press
lightly to flatten. Garnish with more saffron strands and nuts.
No
refrigeration is required for the burfi to
set, however let it cool for a half hour if you’re trying to cut a piece. I
usually just dig in with a spoon :). If you have leftover
burfi for the next day, store it in the refrigerator.
-Gayatri
