Milk Powder Barfi

Image: Milk Powder Barfi

Note: The images are from different batches with different amounts, so they don't properly reflect the amount that this recipe actually yields.

• Ingredients
  • 150g full cream milk powder (do not use skimmed milk powder!)
  • 60g sugar
  • 1-2 pods green cardamom, ground into powder (for a double portion of the recipe, I would use 3 pods)
  • 90mL milk
  • 25g butter
• Instructions
  • Heat milk and butter until butter is molten.
  • Add other ingredients, making sure to stir the whole time so no lumps are formed.
    • Note: Some recipes say you should only add the cardamom in the end, but I prefer to add it in the beginning so the flavor can properly spread through the mixture.
  • Cook on low or medium heat for ~5 minutes while constantly stirring (it burns very easily). It is very difficult to say how long the mixture should cook, you probably just need to experiment a bit. It should still be relatively soft in the end (but at least somewhat hold its shape) because it still hardens quite a lot later. If it is cooked too long, it will become very hard and brittle in the fridge. (Image)
  • Spread mixture in a tray or on some sort of grease-proof paper. (Image)
  • Leave to cool and cut into pieces. It's best to place the entire sheet into the fridge for a while so the pieces are easier to cut (otherwise, the mixture is still a bit sticky). (Image)
  • Optional: If you are a perfectionist, knead the cooled mixture and roll it out with a rolling pin so the pieces become nicer on top (not as rough as they are when the hot mixture is just spread out). The mixture is very hard to knead, but it should be possible (otherwise, it was cooked too long and became too hard). The main image at the top of this page shows the pieces that were cut out after performing this extra step. Note that kneading the mixture will make it a bit sticky again, so the ideal method would probably be to roll it out on grease-proof paper, then place it in the fridge again, and only cut out the pieces after it has cooled again. I was too lazy to do that, though.
  • Notes:
    • I always leave the barfi in the fridge at least overnight for the taste and texture to become right. I'm not sure what the ideal time is, but I have noticed that it just isn't right when it is fresh.
    • As with all my recipes, I use whole cardamom pods and grind the black seeds inside using a mortar and pestle instead of using store-bought powder which doesn't taste nearly as good (but I guess you can also use that if you don't have a mortar and pestle, I just don't know if the barfi will taste as good).

Source: Based on https://www.cookwithkushi.com/milk-barfi-burfi-recipe-milk-powder-barfi/