Quick Malai Barfi Recipe
This instant Malai Barfi recipe is a quick and easy Indian sweet made with cream, paneer and sweetened condensed milk. Flavored with saffron, cardamom and rose water, it has a soft, rich texture and takes only about 15 minutes of cooking. Garnished with nuts, it is perfect for festivals, celebrations and gifting.
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories: 93kcal
Ingredients
- 200 grams or ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 100 grams paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- ½ cup cream – low fat 25% to 35% (I used Amul Fresh Cream)
- 1 teaspoon rose water or one drop of rose essence
- 1 pinch saffron strands – kesar
- 4 green cardamoms finely powdered in a mortar-pestle or ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon ghee – for greasing a pan or tray
- 10 to 12 pistachios – blanched & peeled
- 10 to 12 almonds – blanched & peeled
Instructions
Preparation
- Finely grate the paneer and keep it aside.
- In a thick-bottomed pan, combine the sweetened condensed milk, cream and grated paneer. Mix well.
- Place the pan on low heat and begin cooking the mixture, stirring continuously.
- Continue to cook and stir frequently so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan. As it cooks, the mixture will begin to thicken.
- After about 8 to 10 minutes, when the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan and comes together as a soft mass, add the saffron and cardamom powder.
- Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Turn off the heat.Do not overcook the mixture, as the malai barfi can become dense and chewy after cooling.
- Add the rose water and mix thoroughly until evenly incorporated.
- Transfer the hot mixture to a tray lightly greased with ghee. Spread and level it evenly with a spatula.
- Sprinkle the chopped pistachios and almonds evenly on top. Gently press them into the mixture with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
- Allow the malai burfi to cool completely and set. Once firm, cut into squares, diamonds or rectangles.
- Serve malai barfi immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for later.
Notes
- Paneer: Use fresh, soft paneer. Finely grate or crumble it so that it blends evenly into the mixture.
- Low heat: Cook the mixture on low heat and stir frequently to prevent sticking or scorching.
- Do not overcook: Once the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and comes together as a soft mass, cook for only another 1 to 2 minutes. Overcooking can make the barfi dense, chewy or slightly hard after cooling.
- Rose water: Add rose water towards the end to preserve its delicate aroma.
- Nuts: You can garnish with pistachios, almonds, cashews or a combination of your favorite nuts.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Blanching nuts: Soak the pistachios and almonds in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain the water, remove the skins and chop the nuts before garnishing the barfi.
- Scaling: To make for more servings, scale the recipe as needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): 0.02mg | Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.1mg | Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 0.1mg | Vitamin B6: 0.02mg | Vitamin B12: 0.1µg | Vitamin C: 1mg | Vitamin D: 0.03µg | Vitamin E: 0.3mg | Vitamin K: 0.2µg | Calcium: 93mg | Vitamin B9 (Folate): 3µg | Iron: 0.2mg | Magnesium: 9mg | Phosphorus: 51mg | Zinc: 0.3mg
