Chocolate Dry Fruit Barfi
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! ❤️
Ingredients
Roasted Makhana and Nuts:
- 4 tsp ghee
- 1/4 cup phool makhana (puffed lotus seeds)
- 1/2 cup mixed nuts , I used cashews, pistachios, and almonds
Barfi:
- 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
Chocolate Ganache:
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips , or grated dark chocolate
- 1/2 tbsp butter
- pinch salt
Garnish:
- 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
Instructions
Roasted Makhana and Nuts:
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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.
Barfi:
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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.
Chocolate Ganache:
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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.
Assemble:
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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!