It’s that time of the year when all of India comes together as one to celebrate Independence day. It's a day that reminds everyone that the love for our country is greater than any other forces that might be trying to divide us, like religion, gender, race or anyhting else. We remember that we’re all Indian and we’re all in this together. It's a special coming together of people, irrespective of age, gender or any other difference, to salute the tricolor flag and talk about our country. So if you like cooking, you should definitely mark the special day by creating a fun dessert taht you can share with loved ones. That’s right, we’re talking about a chocolate burfi with cocoa powder. This special dessert is an amalgamation of modern and traditional, just like india is both modern and ancient too. So follow this recipe, pay attention to the details, and you have a delicious dessert on your hands to share with your fellow citizens.
Ingredients:
- 500 gms full cream milk powder
- 200 gms sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 pinches saffron
- 1 tablespoon ghee clarified butter
- 120 ml milk
- 300 grams cooking chocolate
Directions:
- Add water and sugar in a pan and place over medium heat. Keep heating, stirring occasionally, until it comes to the boil. Keep stirring till all the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, turn off the heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add the saffron strands and milk for a few minutes. Set aside.
- Add the milk powder to the sugar mixture and start stirring. It should start to dissolve.
- Next, add the milk and ghee and stir more. Don't let it become too stringy or stiff, keep stirring so it has a soft consistency.
- Then add the saffron milk to the pan and the cardamom powder should follow. Mix well, ensuring everything is evenly incorporated.
- Grease a pan with oil and transfer the mixture into the dish. Spread it and use the back of a spoon to even it out. Set aside to let it cool. As it cools, it will solidify.
- Now it's time to melt the chocolate. You can either do this in the microwave or on the stove. If you're using the microwave, roughly chop the chocolate and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Place the bowl in the micwowave and heat for about 15 seconds. Then stop, bring the bowl and give it a mix. Scrape the sides and the bottom and mix it in. Then put it back in the microwave for another 15 seconds. In this way, keep heating in 15 second bursts until the chocolate has fully melted. If you're using the stove, place the roughly chopped chocolate in a bowl, and place the bowl inside a larger bowl filled with water and placed over medium heat. The heat from the water will start melting the chocolate. Keep stirring so it melts evenly. Once done, turn off the heat and remove the bowl.
- Pour the chocolate over the cooled barfi mixture and spread it evenly.
- Then place it in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Then remove, cut into squares and serve cool.
Notes, tips and tricks:
The barfi can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a week. Avoid direct sunlight. Or store it in the fridge for 10 days.
You can also have two layers of chocolate. First cover the base of the pan with chocolate, then drop in the barfi mixture, and then add the layer on top. It's up to you.
The cardamom powder and saffron add flavor to the barfi so try not to skip those. You can also use cinnamon powder, some essences, rose water or any flavor you prefer.
Once you pour the chocolate onto the mixture, you can add chopped nuts, chocolate chips or any other topping of your choice. You can even top with silver vark to give it a more traditional look.
Keep in mind that the chocolate will bring added sweetness, so adjust the amount of sugar you add accordingly, depending on how sweet you want the final barfi to be.
If you don't want to use cooking chocolate, you can also use Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk or any other chocolate that is easy to melt.