Almond Barfi – So Easy to Make

Almond Barfi – so very tasty and oh, so incredibly easy to make from almond flour! Also called Badam Barfi (Bud-aam Bur-fee), is most certainly a delicacy fit for royalty.

By the way… the serving size for this Almond Barfi is about 2-3 pieces (about 20 g)….not 10-15 pieces!

The nut-sugar combination adds up to become pretty calorie-dense, so portion-control would be smart, no matter how much you are tempted.

So… here’s my suggestion for getting the most “Yumm” out of the somewhat “small” serving size…

Take tiny little bites of the Barfi and savor… slowly. Let its texture and rich flavor linger for while in your mouth before you swallow. Do NOT wolf it down as fast as you can, my friend! Take it slow and easy, and wait for a bit…. It will soon hit a certain spot, called ‘Bliss!’, in your brain and soul alike.

Badam Barfi at the Mithai Shop

Badam Barfi is one of the more expensive dessert items to be found in Indian Mithai shops (Mit-thai-yee, meaning sweet-meat or dessert). So why is Badam Barfi expensive?

Well, almonds, like many nuts, are not exactly cheap. I find it rather interesting that folks in the US consider a fistful of almonds to be a wonderful, healthy everyday snack. The very idea would be quite unfathomable to folks in many other parts of the world, mainly because nuts tend to be particularly pricey.

Because of this, most nuts and nut-containing foods are typically regarded as special occasion treats. I remember how my Mom used to closely guard her rather small and highly prized stash of almonds, taking out only a few whenever she wanted to garnish the special desserts she made on special occasions.

Almonds – Nutritional Superstar

Folks have long prized almonds for their amazing health benefits. Ancient Ayurvedic texts describe almonds as a general tonic that supports all the tissues in the body. Modern science confirms that almonds contain a rich array of vital micro-nutrients. The most noteworthy of its many “powerhouse” components are the heart-healthy fats, Vitamin E and magnesium.

The fat-soluble Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, helps protect the body against heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease. The heart-healthy fats, magnesium and Vitamin E work together to act as a “brain tonic”. What does that even mean? Greater intellectual capacity and enhanced memory, just for starters! No kidding!

By improving insulin function, magnesium also aids in blood sugar control, thus helping to prevent metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. But that’s not all….Magnesium is quite the superstar… it helps protect against heart disease and stroke too, by controlling inflammation and blood pressure.

Consume Almonds in Moderation

As is true of all good things, though, moderation is key. Do not get carried away: 8-10 almonds (2-3 pieces of this Almond Barfi) are plenty: any more is probably not a great idea. Way too many calories, for starters, and your stomach will likely complain too… almonds, like most nuts, are not the easiest of things to digest.

Of course, there are widely differing recommendations regarding how many almonds one should consume daily…. if you can afford it, that is!

Almond Flour: the secret to FAST Almond Barfi

The “secret” ingredient in making this quick-fix Almond Barfi is almond flour, which is readily available in the US. What if you cannot buy almond flour? Well, maybe you can buy blanched almonds (skinless) and simply grind them in small batches.

No blanched almonds available either? Okay then, I guess you would need to start from scratch – from raw almonds with skin. I have given detailed directions for doing just that. It is not difficult, it just takes a bit longer. I would also recommend that you prepare the almond flour at least a day in advance.

Why make the flour in advance? You have to soak the almonds in hot water for a couple of min to loosen the skins. After you peel them, the almonds will be a bit moist, and you must dry them thoroughly before grinding. I like to dry the almonds overnight at room temperature: the nutrients in the almonds are better preserved this way. When the almonds are dry, pulse-grind in small batches to make flour.

How to make Almond Barfi?

Simply add ground granulated sugar and cardamom to almond flour. Mix well, then add just a tiny bit of milk to make a stiff dough. Then microwave the dough for a couple of min to allow the sugar to dissolve. That’s it! All you have to do then is to roll out the hot, slightly sticky dough, cool and slice. All done! Ready to serve…. for dessert or snack.

Some of you might think the Almond Barfi resembles Marzipan, and yes, it does a little… it is, after all, made with almonds and sugar as the main ingredients. However, I really don’t know anyone who would want to just eat Marzipan – all by itself! A piece of Almond Barfi, though…. Hmmm, completely irresistible, and yes, just as addicting as chocolate!

Special Diets

This Almond Barfi recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free and soy-free. It is not vegan, but you can easily veganize it – see Recipe Notes for details.

So… are you ready to make this easy Almond Barfi? To wow your friends…. and soak in their ‘Oohhs’ and ‘Aahhs’ as they relish this very special treat? Well then… go for it, my friend!

Do leave a review and a star rating… much appreciated!

Enjoy!

Almond Barfi – So Easy to Make

Mix almond flour with ground granulated sugar and cardamom. Add milk and knead into a stiff dough. Microwave the dough for 2-3 min, to allow the sugar to dissolve. Transfer the dough to a greased parchment sheet on a cutting board. Roll the dough gently (it is hot!) into a smooth ball. Using a lightly greased rolling pin, roll out the hot, slightly sticky dough to a 1/4 inch thick sheet. pinch the edges and shape into a 5" x 7 1/2" inches rectangle. Cool thoroughly (2-3 hours minimum) and cut into squares or diamonds.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Servings 10

Calories 100 kcal

Equipment

• Microwave oven – if not available, you can use a steamer set-up on the stove-top. See Recipe Notes.
• Electric spice grinder, for grinding sugar and cardamom; mortar and pestle is fine for cardamom, but not for sugar.
• Rolling pin
• Microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl/dinner plate – I do not recommend using plastic bowl/plate
• Strong wooden spoon – for mixing stiff dough

Ingredients

  

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• 100 g Almond flour – about 1 cup
• 100 g Sugar – about 6 tbsp – ground I do not recommend icing sugar / confectioner's sugar)
• 1/2 tsp Green cardamom seeds – ground – divide into 2 portions, 1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp for best flavor, use seeds from freshly peeled pods – you will need about 6-7 small green pods, about 4-5 if they are larger
• 3 tbsp Milk for vegan Barfi, use non-dairy milk – See Recipe Notes for details
• 1/2 tsp Ghee clarified butter

To make flour from Raw Almonds

• 100 g Whole Raw Almonds–with skin

Optional ingredient for 'Rich" Barfi

• 2 tsp Ghee Nutrition information provided for the recipe does NOT account for this extra Ghee

Instructions

 

• Measure the almond flour, ground sugar and 1/4 tsp ground cardamom into a microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl /plate. Also add (optional) 2 tsp ghee, if you want to make extra "Rich" tasting Barfi: However, please note that the nutrition infomation provided for this recip does not include this extra quntity of Ghee

  Note: I do not recommend using a plastic bowl/plate.

  The mixture becomes very hot when cooked, which can cause some plastics to start melting and releasing undesirable materials into the food. This can also happen with some plastics labeled as "microwave-safe". So it is best to avoid using a plastic plate/bowl here.
  
• Place the milk in a microwave-safe bowl/mug. Microwave on Hi for 30 seconds.

  Add the hot milk, a little at a time, to the almond-sugar mixture, mixing with a strong wooden spoon to make a stiff, shaggy dough.
  
• Cover and microwave the dough on hi for 1 min. Remove, stir thoroughly (with a strong spoon) and heat again for 1 minute on Hi.

  Repeat – 3-4 min total heating time – mixing well after each heating cycle, to ensure that the sugar has fully dissolved. If it is not dissolved properly, it gives a grainy taste/texture to the Barfi.
  
• Meanwhile, place a 5 1/2 in x 8 inch piece of parchment on a medium-large cutting board. Lightly grease the parchment with 1/2 tsp Ghee (clarified butter).

  If you cannot use Ghee, use almond oil (NOT bitter almond oil) or Coconut oil instead.
  
• Transfer the hot dough on to the prepared parchment paper. With a greased spatula (grease with a bit of Ghee), immediately gather up the slightly crumbly dough into a rough ball.
  
• Lightly roll the ball on the greased paper to shape it into a smooth ball – but do watch out, it will be quite hot!

  Pat the ball gently to flatten it into a thick disc.
  
• Lightly grease a rolling pin with Ghee and roll gently, but firmly, while the dough is still fairly hot, to a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. It starts to firm up and dry out as it cools, so you must work quickly.

  Tip for easier rolling:

  Use a second piece of parchment on the top of the dough to make it easier to start rolling.

  At first, the rolled sheet will most likely look a bit uneven and craggy at the edges, (see picture) It may even look a bit dry and cracked in spots.
  
• No worries….. it is easy to fix!

  With a finger dipped in warm water, add just a drop of water (no more!) on the dry surface and pat gently to close the cracks. Repeat with other cracks.

  Likewise, with a wet finger, pinch, shape and pat the uneven and craggy edges of the dough into a smooth-edged rectangle – all the way to the edges of the parchment paper. (about 5 1/2 inches x 8 inches),

  (This is a bit like what you might do with a flaky pie crust that has a tendency to crack at the edges)
  
• Sprinkle the 1/4 in portion of cardamom all over the surface and roll lightly to make it stick to the slightly moist surface.
  
• Cool thoroughly, about 2-3 hours to allow it to become firm and a bit dry.

  Cut into square
  
• Serve with a cup of tea/coffee, or as dessert after a meal.

  Enjoy!
  

How to make Almond Flour from Raw Almonds

• Heat 2 cups of water in a saucepan.

  When the water starts boiling, add the almonds, cover and turn the heat off. Remove saucepan from the hot stove. Set aside for a couple of min.
  
• Keep covered for 2-3 min.
  
• Remove the lid. The water looks bit cloudy
  
• Transfer a few almonds.to a large platter.

  Gently rub an almond between your thumb and forefinger, The brown peel slips right off.
  
• Repeat, until all the almonds have been blanched.
  
• Place the peeled almonds in a colander to drain the residual water. Spread the almonds on a clean towel.

  Roll up the towel and squeeze a bit to allow surface moisture to be absorbed by the towel. Spread out on another clean, dry towel and set aside to air-dry for about 12-15 hours.

  Note:

  If you wish, you can lightly toast the almonds to speed up the drying process. However, the roasting can lead to some nutrient loss. So I prefer to air-dry, even if it takes longer.
  
• Grind the dried blanched almonds in small batches of 2-3 tbsp per batch.

  The texture is much finer than if you tried to save time by grinding in a big batch all at once. That can become coarse and pasty at the same time as the oils get released from the almonds.
  
• Combine the ground almonds. You're now ready to begin making Almond Barfi.
  

Notes

Vegan Barfi:

• Use your preferred non-dairy milk instead of dairy milk
  • almond or cashew milk works well.
• Use almond oil or coconut oil for greasing the paper and the rolling pin.
  • Do not use bitter almond oil. It will ruin the taste of the Barfi.

 

For Almond Halva – softer than Almond Barfi:

• Add the optional 2 tsp Ghee. It will add a rich taste and texture to the Halva.
• Use about 1 tbsp more milk (4 tbsp instead of 3 tbsp) to make a softer dough
• Continue as directed in the recipe instructions.
• Instead of rolling out the cooked dough, simply set aside, covered, to cool to room temperature. 
• When cool, crumble it with your fingers and transfer to serving dish.
• Garnish with cardamom and chopped/slivered almonds and serve as dessert. Refrigerate leftovers and consume within 2-3 days.

 

Storing Almond Barfi:

Arrange carefully in a shallow, lidded container with a well-fitting lid.

• Consume within 6-8 days – it’s fine to store at room temperature for 6-8 days.

If you make a large batch and wish to freeze some, that works very well.

• Store in a container with a well-fitting lid
• Consume within 2-3 months
  • to thaw, place on the countertop for about 20-30 min.

 

 

 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 2Barfi piecesCalories: 100kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 2mgPotassium: 7mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 7IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg

Keyword almond flour, Barfi, Ghee, green cardamom, sugar

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