Chocolate Dry Fruit Barfi — the best make-ahead dessert to enjoy this festive season! With roasted makhana and nuts topped with a silky chocolate ganache, this barfi isn’t going to last long!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE DRY FRUIT BARFI:
We’ll start by toasting some makhana and all of our nuts in some ghee. I’ve used cashews, pistachios, and almonds. Set these aside and now we’ll roast our almond flour until it becomes fragrant and has this lovely light brown color. Add in coconut flakes and our coarsely ground nuts and makhana. We’ll add just enough milk to help this come together and then sweeten with jaggery and sugar.
Give this a good mix and finish with a dollop of ghee and some elaichi and kesar for that beautiful aroma. To shape our barfi, grease a mold with some ghee and gently pat down the mixture. While this sets, let’s make our chocolate ganache.
Melt together chocolate chips, heavy cream, butter, and a generous sprinkle of salt. Once this comes together and has this silky sheen, we’re ready to garnish!
Carefully unfold your dry fruit barfi and top with the chocolate ganache. For garnish, make sure to use lots of color that will make this look so beautiful! I’ve added chopped almonds and pistachios, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit, goji berries, and rose petals.
This Chocolate Dry Fruit Barfi is exactly what you should make for your friends and families this Diwali, they are going to love you!
If you like this, please try my other recipes:
- Rainbow Rasgulla
- Orange Vanilla Rice Kheer – Rice Pudding
- Rose Rasmalai Falooda
- Khajoor Coconut Peda (Sugar-Free)
Chocolate Dry Fruit Barfi — the best make-ahead dessert to enjoy this festive season! 🪔✨ With roasted makhana and nuts topped with a silky chocolate ganache, this barfi isn’t going to last long! ❤️
- 4 tsp ghee
- 1/4 cup phool makhana (puffed lotus seeds)
- 1/2 cup mixed nuts , I used cashews, pistachios, and almonds
- 2 tbsp ghee semi-solid from the box
- 1 1/2 cup full fat whole milk powder , unsweetened, or use mawa
- 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 cup jaggery
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 20 strands saffron , soaked in 1/2 tsp water
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips , or grated dark chocolate
- 1/2 tbsp butter
- pinch salt
- pistachio , finely chopped
- almonds , finely chopped
- pumpkin seeds
- freeze dried strawberries , finely chopped
- dried apricots , finely chopped
- dried cranberries , finely chopped
- edible flowers
- edible gold foil
- golden sprinkles
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Heat half of your ghee in a pan, and add in your makhana. Cook the makhana for 7-8 minutes until they are crispy and golden. Then, transfer them to another bowl and (let them cool/keep aside).
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In the same pan, heat the other half of your ghee, and add in your almonds, cashews, and pistachios. Cook them for 7-8 minutes until they are browned and fragrant.
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Now, put your roasted makhana and nuts in a blender and grind until they become a coarse powder.
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Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan on low heat and add in the ghee.
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Once the ghee has melted, add in your milk powder. Then, roast for at least 10-15 minutes on low to medium flame while stirring continuously until the color changes to a light almond color. The secret to making a good barfi is being patient and roasting it on low flame while stirring continuously.
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Then add in your desiccated coconut, roasted makhana and nuts powder, and milk. Mix them well and roast for another couple minutes.
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Mix in your sugar and jaggery. Then add in the rest of your ghee, cardamom powder, saffron and salt. Roast for another 5-6 minutes until everything comes together. Don't over cook the mixture and switch off the gas as soon as the mixture starts coming together and starts releasing from the pan.
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Grease a 6” round cake ring/pan (or circular mold on a greased dish) with oil (don't use ghee otherwise the cake will stick) and line it with parchment paper. Then, add in your barfi mixture, flattening it gently with the back of a spatula. My barfi was around 1½" deep. (pro tip: you can also set it in a square shape and then cut it into bite-size cubes)
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Keep it aside for at least 30 minutes and then chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
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Melt dark chocolate with cream, and butter until it forms a smooth mixture with beautiful silky consistency.
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Cover it with a cling wrap and let it cool down completely.
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Gently and carefully open the cake ring and remove it from the barfi.
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Spread the chocolate ganache on top. It's important to make sure that the barfi has fully cooled down before applying the ganache.
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Garnish with pistachio, almonds, pumpkin seeds, freeze dried strawberries, edible flowers, edible gold foil, and sprinkle some golden sprinkles on top. Your Chocolate Dry Fruit Barfi is ready. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
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Thanks for sharing amazing recipe. How many days you can store this and it needs to be in Friday?
It stays good for 3-4 days. Can be made ahead of time!!