Quick Milk Powder Burfi (Milk Barfi Recipe)

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Melt-in-your-mouth milk burfi in 20 minutes! Made with milk powder, ghee, and cardamom—no mawa, sugar syrup, or hours of stirring required.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Setting Time1

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 143kcal

Mix Ingredients: Place a deep, wide fry pan or kadai on the stove and add in ghee and milk. Turn the flame on low heat.
Whisk until smooth: Add milk powder and sugar, and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes until lump-free and smooth. Use a whisk if needed. Note: At this point, taste the mix and add more sugar if needed.
Thicken into a paste: Keep stirring for about 5-6 minutes or so, scraping the sides of the pan regularly. The milk will thicken and turn into a glossy, thick paste (like condensed milk).
Cook to form a dough (watch closely - do not overcook): Continue stirring continuously for another 5-6 minutes. The mixture will begin to leave the sides and base of the pan, and come together as a soft, non-sticky dough mass. Turn off the heat immediately and fold in ½ teaspoon cardamom powder.
Shape, garnish & cool: Transfer the warm burfi dough into a parchment-lined baking dish. Use an offset spatula or the flat bottom of a measuring cup to smooth the top to a uniform ½-inch thickness. Scatter chopped pistachios on top and press gently into the dough. Let the pan rest on the countertop for 10 minutes.
Set, cut and serve: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until set. After that, run a knife around the pan to release it, and carefully transfer it onto a cutting board. Using a clean, sharp knife, cut it into 16 squares.

Cooking time: Active time: 30 mins | Setting time: 1 hr in the fridge or 2 hrs at room temperature.
Heat level: Set the heat to medium-low while cooking. This prevents the milk solids from burning.
Quality ingredients: For best results, use good quality milk powder, such as Nido. Use full-fat milk and milk powder for a creamy texture. This recipe will not work with fat-free products.
Don't overcook: For soft, creamy burfis, watch closely as the mixture turns into a soft dough, so you don't overcook it.
Know when it's done: The burfi mixture is done cooking when it turns into a soft dough, stops sticking, and pulls away from the pan (moves freely).
Cutting tip: For smooth cuts and to prevent crumbling, wipe the knife with a wet kitchen towel in between cuts.
Multiplying the recipe: If you multiply this recipe, the cooking time will increase since you'll have to stir longer to form the soft dough. Use a wider pan for even cooking.
Nut or Nut-free: You can customize this milk burfi by substituting the pistachios with nuts of choice, like almonds or cashews. To make a nut-free burfi, skip the nuts altogether.
Set before cutting: Let the burfi set for 1 hour in the refrigerator or 2 hours on the counter before cutting it.
Turn this into Kesar Burfi: Soak 12 strands of saffron in 2 tablespoons of hot milk for about 20 minutes. Stir it into the mixture during the initial cooking process to make kesar burfi.

Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you follow any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.