Badam Barfi — almond fudge made from blanched almonds, milk and saffron

i. Origin & history

Both words in the name came to India from Persian. Bādām is the Persian word for almond, and barfi (also burfi) comes from barf, meaning snow or ice, possibly describing the pale, white appearance of the original milk barfi. Barfi is a large family of dense Indian sweets made by cooking a base — milk solids, nuts, coconut, gram flour — with sugar until it can be set and cut.

Almonds have been grown in Kashmir and imported from Central Asia and Persia for centuries, and they featured prominently in the rich cooking of the Mughal and other princely courts. They are prized in India not only for their taste but for their reputation as a 'brain food' and a source of strength; many Indian children grow up eating soaked almonds every morning. A sweet made almost entirely of almonds has long been a sign of generosity and wealth.

Badam barfi is found throughout India, but has a particularly strong tradition in South India, where badam burfi and the softer badam halwa are wedding and Deepavali classics, and in the sweet shops of Mysuru and Chennai. In the north, it is a staple of festival gift boxes, alongside kaju katli, its cashew counterpart.

The difference between the two is more than the nut. Kaju katli is usually made from dry-ground cashews cooked with syrup and rolled thin, while classic badam barfi is made from almonds soaked, blanched and ground with milk into a wet paste, which gives a softer, moister, more milky fudge that is set in a tray rather than rolled.

ii. Why the almonds are blanched and ground with milk

Almond skins are slightly bitter, brown and fibrous, and would give the barfi a dull colour and gritty texture. Soaking the almonds in hot water loosens the skins so they slip off easily, leaving pale kernels. Soaked almonds also grind more smoothly.

Grinding the almonds with milk rather than dry is the key to the texture. Almonds are about half fat, and dry grinding quickly warms them and releases their oil, turning the powder into a greasy almond butter. Grinding them with cold milk keeps them cool and produces a smooth, fine paste, while the milk adds flavour, protein and lactose that brown slightly as the barfi cooks, giving a richer, more rounded taste.

The paste is then cooked with sugar. At first the mixture is loose and wet; as it cooks, the water evaporates, the sugar concentrates and the almond proteins set, until the mixture comes together into a soft, glossy mass that pulls away from the sides of the pan. This stage is critical: undercooked barfi stays sticky and will not set, while overcooked barfi becomes dry, crumbly and hard. The test is to take a little, cool it and roll it between the fingers; it should form a smooth, non-sticky ball.

Ghee, added gradually during cooking, keeps the mixture from sticking, adds flavour and gives the finished barfi its gloss.

iii. Ingredients

Makes 20 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 250 g whole almonds
• 150 ml cold whole milk
• 200 g sugar
• 3 tbsp ghee, plus extra for greasing
• 15 saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
• ½ tsp ground green cardamom
• 1 tbsp pistachios, slivered
• 2 sheets edible silver leaf (optional)

Use good-quality, fresh whole almonds; Indian sweet makers prize Kashmiri or mamra almonds for their flavour. Ready-blanched almonds save time but have less flavour. Do not use ground almonds from a packet: they are too dry and often stale, and give a grainy result. Whole milk makes a smooth paste and adds richness. Saffron gives the barfi a pale golden colour and fragrance. Ghee is essential for flavour and gloss.

iv. Method

1. Put the almonds in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for 30 minutes (or soak overnight in cold water). Drain and slip off the skins by pressing each almond between your fingers. Pat dry.
2. Grind the almonds with the cold milk in a blender to a smooth, thick paste, scraping down the sides often. It should be fine, with only a slight graininess.
3. Grease a 20 cm square tin or tray with ghee.
4. Put the almond paste and sugar in a heavy non-stick pan over medium-low heat and stir continuously. The mixture will become loose as the sugar melts.
5. Keep cooking and stirring for 15–20 minutes, adding the ghee a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture thickens, turns glossy and gathers into a soft mass that leaves the sides of the pan.
6. Stir in the saffron milk and cardamom and cook for 1 minute more. Check by rolling a little between your fingers: it should form a smooth, non-sticky ball.
7. Transfer to the greased tin and spread evenly with a greased spatula to about 1.5 cm thick. Lay the silver leaf on top and scatter with pistachios, pressing lightly.
8. Let it cool for 30 minutes, then cut into squares or diamonds with a sharp greased knife. Leave to set completely for another hour before separating.

v. Tips & common mistakes

• Blanch the almonds. The skins make the barfi brown, bitter and gritty.
• Grind with cold milk. This prevents the almonds releasing their oil and gives a smooth paste.
• Stir constantly on medium-low heat. The almond paste catches easily and burns.
• Test before setting. If a pinch does not roll into a smooth ball, cook it a little longer.
• Do not overcook. Overcooked barfi becomes dry and crumbly. If this happens, add a spoonful of milk and cook briefly again.
• Cut while slightly warm. Cold barfi can crack when cut.

vi. Variations

Kesar badam barfi uses extra saffron for a golden colour. Badam pista barfi layers almond barfi with a green pistachio layer. Badam halwa, a South Indian favourite, is made from the same paste but cooked with more ghee and served soft and spoonable rather than set. Badam katli is rolled thin like kaju katli. Some versions use khoya or milk powder for a creamier barfi.

Related sweets on DessertCat include kaju katli, made from cashews, Mysore pak, made with gram flour, and pedha, made from khoya. For an almond confection from Europe, compare marzipan, and from Italy, the almond biscuits ricciarelli.

vii. Serving & storage

Badam barfi is served at room temperature, a piece or two at a time, at Diwali, weddings, Raksha Bandhan and religious festivals, and is a favourite in gift boxes. It goes well with masala chai or filter coffee.

Store it in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week, or in the fridge for up to two weeks; let chilled barfi come to room temperature before serving. It freezes well for up to two months.

ix. More from Indian & South Asian

• Kaju Katli — cashew fudge diamonds
• Mysore Pak — gram-flour fudge
• Pedha — milk fudge rounds
• Mohanthal — Gujarati besan fudge
• Sandesh — Bengali chhena sweet
• Marzipan — European almond paste