For as long as I have been eating Indian food, burfi has been my favourite Indian candy; my vegan coconut burfi is super-easy to make but do be warned though, it’s incredibly more-ish!
When we lived in the UK, there was a fantastic Indian caterer, Pooja, about a 30 minute drive away, which had a restaurant attached to it; we found the place quite by accident, tucked away in a little side street. It was the kind of place that was only frequented by the local Indian community, and while the restaurant was not in any way fancy, the food was nothing short of amazing. So much so, that not only did we visit there on a regular basis (not least because absolutely everything on the menu was vegetarian) but we also used their catering service a couple of times, for family events.
It was at Pooja that I discovered how much variety there is to burfi, and how beautiful some of the different types are; from being garnished with scatterings of bright green pistachios to being gilded with varakha (edible silver foil) - they all resemble little treasures.
When we lived in Fort Kochi, it was no different... except the mithai (sweets) didn't get packaged in fancy boxes, just plonked into a plastic bag! Not that I am in any way complaining! Like almost all of the food there, the sweets were wonderful!
Vegan Coconut Burfi
Is...
- dairy-free
- nut-free
- soy-free
- gluten-free
- added sugar-free
- sweet
- soft
- easy to make
- deliciously more-ish
I hope you enjoy this coconut burfi as much as we do!
What are your favourite Indian sweets?
Vegan Coconut Burfi
Ingredients
- 400 ml vegan condensed milk
- 100 g vegan coconut milk powder
- 50 g desiccated coconut plus a little more for finishing
- 200 ml light coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter/margarine plus a little to grease a plate
Instructions
- Grease a dinner plate, and set aside.
- Mix together the coconut milk, coconut milk powder, and desiccated coconut (set aside a little bit to sprinkle over the top).
- Melt the vegan butter in a pan over a medium heat, then add the coconut mixture, plus the condensed milk.
- Mix thoroughly, then stir vigorously for around 15 minutes, until the mixture has thickened, and comes away cleanly from the sides of the pan.
- Pour onto the greased plate, then level with the back of a spoon, and sprinkle over the remaining desiccated coconut.
- Leave to cool at room temperature, score into pieces with a knife, then place in the 'fridge to set - this will take around three hours, so be patient!
- It will probably be a bit softer than shop-bought burfi, so if you want it to be harder, cook it for a bit longer; re-melt it in the microwave or pan for a few minutes, then repeat steps 5 & 6.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. (Like it's ever going to stay around that long!)
Notes
- 1 cup = US cup = 240 ml
- 1 tablespoon = US/UK = 15 ml
- 1 fl oz = US = 30 ml
While you're here, why not check out these other sweet treats?
Amla Khare
Hello,
I tried making this twice but bith times too much coconut oil came out. It is good but does not look anything like the picture.
What could i be doing wrong.
please help.
thanks
Nico
Hi Amla,
I have no idea why you're experiencing coconut oil being released, especially as there is none in the recipe, and the ingredients shouldn't yield any oil at all. The only thing I can think of is are you using coconut oil instead of vegan butter or margarine? If so, then you really shouldn't be - if coconut oil worked, it would be there in my ingredients list! 😉 Other than that, without being there with you, I really can't tell you what you're doing wrong, I'm sorry. xx
Michele
Thank-you for this recipe. I love coconut. My favorite indian dessert is a tie between 2...Jalebi & Gulab jamen...yum!
Nico
Ooh, I love them both too but I have to admit that I can only eat the tiniest piece of jalebi because it's so sweet! Gulab jamun is fab, isn't it? Have you ever made it with coconut milk powder? It's really easy! xx
Reshma
Oh my god, was the Pooja restaurant in Wellingborough? That's where I grew up and still have their food at family gatherings! PS I sent my mum this recipe, we can't wait to make coconut barfi when I next go to my parents house 🙂 many thanks x
Nico
Oh, wow, what small world, Reshma! And it's great to know that they are still providing catering services, even if the restaurant is no longer open (at least, it wasn't last year when I was visiting friends in Northampton).
I really hope you and your family love the burfi as much as we do - I just wish there were a way to make it calorie-free! LOL! xx
Hanne
Oh these look particularly More-ish.
Last May a little friend visited us from Delhi and at our first dinner gave us a lovely box of silver foiled burfi. (Plus an amazing moss green and deep brown Sari)
Sweet, seductive and nutty.
I can't wait to try out this recipe on her. She is staying with us again for 5 weeks. I'm with you.: Package my sweets any way you want plastic bag, fancy box, just hand them over.
Nico
Oh wow, that saree sounds gorgeous - do you have any pics? I bet you look amazing in it! Do let me know how you get on with the burfi, won't you... I hope your friend enjoys it! xx
Agness of Run Agness Run
This treat is so finger-licking, Nico! I could eat it every day!
Nico
Ha ha, thanks so much Agness... and I completely agree with you! xx