It is adapted from my Perfect Plain White Burfi recipe and it’s completely foolproof. Each square of burfi is perfectly crumbly and melts in the mouth. Indian sweets have never been so simple!

Easter Chocolate Burfi: The perfect kids Easter project!

If you have a glut of leftover Easter chocolate to use up, or want to make something fun for Easter with kids, this is the ideal recipe. Little ones will love decorating the slab of chocolate burfi. My little one loves adding chocolate bunnies.

What type of chocolate to use for chocolate burfi

I use milk chocolate Easter eggs for the shiny chocolate topping. Mix it with a small amount of butter to ensure it melts nicely and cuts without snapping or breaking. Be sure to use a sharp knife to cut your burfi into squares.

If you like, you can use regular chocolate bars mixed with butter, or even easier is to use cooking chocolate. This already has fat added so the chocolate burfi cuts perfectly. Indian sweet shops traditionally use cooking chocolate for their chocolate burfi. It’s pretty cheap stuff but I think it’s all part of the charm!

What does Burfi mean?

The word burfi or barfi is a Hindi word which stems from the Persian barfī, which literally means ‘icy’ or ‘snowy’. Baraf is the Hindi word for ‘ice’.

This traditional Indian sweet carries the name Burfi because of it’s cool, melt-in-the mouth texture. If you’ve ever tried the western retro sweet, coconut ice, you’ll be familiar with this concept.

How to make Burfi with milk powder

My recipe here calls for milk powder. In many cases, people use mawa (milk solids) which you can make by reducing full-fat milk. Indeed, you can also buy mawa in many South Asian food shops.

I like to use full-fat milk powder because it is readily available in most shops or online.

What if I can’t find full-fat milk powder?

If full-fat milk powder proves to be elusive, you can use skimmed milk powder and simply replace the milk in this recipe with an equal measure of double (full-fat) cream. This simple switch will produce a delicious, creamy Burfi.

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Other types of Burfi to make

• Pistachio Burfi
• Birthday Cake Burfi
• Cookie Dough Chocolate Burfi
• Plain White Burfi

Why won’t my Burfi set?

If you undercook Burfi, it will not set. Watch my step-by-step recipe video to see what the Burfi mixture should look like before you place it in the tin. If the mixture is too runny, the Burfi won’t set and the texture will be sticky to eat.

Why is my Burfi chewy?

Burfi can turn chewy if you overcook it. Be sure to cook the Burfi mixture over a very low heat. Stir constantly without stopping. Keep an eye on the texture. It is ready when the mixture forms a cohesive mass that comes away from the sides of the pan. It should look a bit like mashed potato!

Easter Chocolate Burfi recipe

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Easter Chocolate Burfi

This super-duper chocolatey take on Indian Burfi puts Easter chocolate to work for a totally cute springtime sweet! Easy and quick to make.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword burfi, cardamom, indian sweets, milk, mithai, pistachio, saffron

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• L30 x W20 x D5cm (13"x9") rectangular traybake pan

Ingredients

• 240 g sugar
• 300 ml whole milk
• 130 g salted butter
• 595 g full-fat milk powder
• 1 tsp ground cardamom seeds
• 12-15 saffron strands
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice

For the chocolate topping:

• 250 g chocolate I used Easter eggs
• 50 g salted butter
• 100 g your favourite Easter chocolate, to decorate I used Mini Eggs, Malteaser bunnies, KitKat bunnies, Smarties, Milkybar and Kinder eggs

Instructions

• Line a L30 x W20 x D5cm (13"x9") rectangular traybake pan with baking parchment.
• Heat the milk in a large, non-stick pan. Add the butter and allow it to melt.
• Add the sugar and stir until it has completely melted and you can no longer feel the crystals at the base of the pan.
• Tip in the milk powder and stir well to combine. The mixture will become thick, like mashed potato in appearance.
• Cook the mixture over a very low heat, stirring all the time to ensure it doesn't catch and burn on the base of the pan.
• Once the burfi mixture begins to come away from the sides, at about the 5 minute mark, add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, cardamom and saffron. Continue to stir for a further 2 minutes.
• Around the 8 minute mark, the burfi mixture should be thick. Once it forms a soft mass that comes away from the sides of the pan and into a ball, it is ready.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin lined with baking parchment and pistachios. Press the mixture in with a rubber spatula, ensuring the surface is as even as you can get it. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Break the chocolate into small pieces and microwave in short bursts, stirring gently in between until the chocolate has fully melted. I did 4-5 20-30 second bursts. Pour the chocolate over the burfi and spread into an even layer. Top with your Easter chocolate decorations. Allow to set in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Cut into squares using a sharp knife and serve at room temperature.

Video

Notes

• If your burfi begins to develop brown spots in places, it means either the heat is too high or you’re not stirring it enough. Keep it moving all the time to prevent burnt milk flecks.
• This burfi keeps well in an airtight container for up to a week. Keep refrigerated and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
• Burfi served cold from the fridge will be much firmer in texture.

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Hot Cross Bun Mac & Cheese!

Love Sanjana

The post Easter Chocolate Burfi appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

I think White Burfi has such a simple charm and universal appeal. For some reason, the most basic recipes are often difficult to perfect — for myself too.

What does Burfi mean?

The word burfi or barfi is a Hindi word which stems from the Persian barfī, which literally means ‘icy’ or ‘snowy’. Baraf is the Hindi word for ‘ice’.

This traditional Indian sweet carries the name Burfi because of it’s cool, melt-in-the mouth texture. If you’ve ever tried the western retro sweet, coconut ice, you’ll be familiar with this concept.

How to make Burfi with milk powder

My recipe here calls for milk powder. In many cases, people use mawa (milk solids) which you can make by reducing full-fat milk. Indeed, you can also buy mawa in many South Asian food shops.

I like to use full-fat milk powder because it is readily available in most shops or online.

What if I can’t find full-fat milk powder?

If full-fat milk powder proves to be elusive, you can use skimmed milk powder and simply replace the milk in this recipe with an equal measure of double (full-fat) cream. This simple switch will produce a delicious, creamy Burfi.

Different types of Burfi

There are hundreds of variations when it comes to Burfi. Some are traditional, some more playful and modern. However, in my opinion, most good Burfi ought to begin with a Perfect Plain White Burfi recipe.

Rose Burfi, Pistachio Burfi, Mango Burfi, Cashew Burfi and Almond Burfi are all popular choices in Indian mithai shops. You can make all of these varieties if you know how to create a great basic milk powder burfi.

Each recipe has a little variation, be it nuts, some flavour extract, food colour, dry fruit or food colour.

Some of my favourite Burfi varieties

Besan Burfi

A simple burfi with chickpea flour (besan), milk, ghee and sugar. Cardamom is optional, as are nuts or any other flavours. The toasted besan aroma is the key flavour in this style of burfi.

Note that Besan Burfi and Mohanthal are two different varieties of besan mithai.

You can find my recipe and video tutorial for Mohanthal here.

Chocolate Burfi

Plain burfi with a layer of chocolate on top. In all honesty, the quality of chocolate is usually questionable. It is almost always cooking milk chocolate rather than any of your top notch eating chocolate.

In my opinion, the low-quality chocolate on top of Chocolate Burfi has a certain charm. The flavour of cheap milk chocolate against milky white burfi is my childhood in a bar.

Check out my recipe for Cookie Dough Chocolate Burfi.

Pistachio Burfi

Wow! Pistachio Burfi is a must-have in any burfi box from the mithai shop. It’s usually a super artificial shade of green and that’s what I love about it. Most mithai shops will add a synthetic pistachio flavouring and scatter crushed pistachios on top.

As much as I love mithai shop pistachio burfi, the kind made with real pistachios is always at the top of my list.

Check out my recipe for Pure Pistachio Burfi.

Why won’t my milk powder Burfi set?

If you undercook Burfi, it will not set. Watch my step-by-step recipe video to see what the Burfi mixture should look like before you place it in the tin. If the mixture is too runny, the Burfi won’t set and the texture will be rather claggy.

Why is my Burfi chewy?

Burfi can turn chewy if you overcook it. Be sure to cook the Burfi mixture over a very low heat. Stir constantly without stopping. Keep an eye on the texture. It is ready when the mixture forms a slack and cohesive mass that comes away from the sides of the pan easily.

Can you freeze Burfi?

Burfi actually freezes pretty well. Be sure to pack it into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.

Why is my Burfi sticky?

Sticky Burfi can be down to three separate issues:

1. The Burfi needs to cook for longer.
2. Not enough fat in the mixture.
3. Too much sugar in the mixture.

How to make condensed milk Burfi

A popular method of making Burfi is with condensed milk. This negates the requirement to add sugar, since the condensed milk is sweet enough.

Many recipes simply call for milk powder and condensed milk. While this is a perfectly delicious way to make burfi, the end result is very smooth and Peda like in texture.

Burfi with a melt-in-the-mouth texture and definitive crumbles is my personal favourite.

Is Burfi gluten free?

Yes, this recipe for Burfi is free from gluten.

Is Burfi vegan?

No. Burfi is a typically a dairy-based sweet. Its’ core ingredients are: Milk, butter (or ghee) and sugar. Some recipe creators successfully make vegan-friendly Burfi.

Why do you add lemon juice to your Perfect Plain White Burfi?

I add a small amount of lemon juice to the hot burfi mixture at the end of the cooking process. This is a little trick I do to ensure my Burfi is perfectly crumbly. The acidity of the lemon juice curdles the milk proteins ever so slightly.

The result is a Perfect Plain White Burfi that cuts beautifully, yet still has a definitive grainy quality. Pure mithai shop vibes.

Perfect Plain White Burfi: Butter vs. Ghee?

In all honesty, it really doesn’t matter. Use whichever one you like best. I like to use butter for its saltiness.

I think all sweets benefit from a touch of salt to bring the rest of the flavours to life. The inherent saltiness of salted butter is perfect in this recipe.

If you can find Indian white butter, that is ideal as it imparts less colour. My yellow European butter gives the burfi a slightly creamy colour.

If you use ghee, add 1/8 tsp of fine salt to the burfi mixture. I promise it makes all the difference!

My Burfi-making essentials

Perfect Plain White Burfi recipe

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Perfect Plain White Burfi

Soft and creamy plain white Burfi is a mainstay when it comes to Indian sweets. My version uses milk powder, cardamom and saffron for rich flavours and a crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword burfi, cardamom, indian sweets, milk, mithai, pistachio, saffron

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Equipment

• L30 x W20 x D5cm (13"x9") rectangular traybake pan

Ingredients

• 240 g sugar
• 300 ml whole milk
• 130 g salted butter
• 595 g full-fat milk powder
• 1 tsp ground cardamom seeds
• 12-15 saffron strands
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 20 g pistachios
• Edible silver or gold leaf optional

Instructions

• Line a L30 x W20 x D5cm (13"x9") rectangular traybake pan with baking parchment. Scatter over some sliced pistachios or pistachio nibs.
• Heat the milk in a large, non-stick pan. Add the butter and allow it to melt.
• Add the sugar and stir until it has completely melted and you can no longer feel the crystals at the base of the pan.
• Tip in the milk powder and stir well to combine. The mixture will become thick, like mashed potato in appearance.
• Cook the mixture over a very low heat, stirring all the time to ensure it doesn't catch and burn on the base of the pan.
• Once the burfi mixture begins to come away from the sides, at about the 5 minute mark, add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, cardamom and saffron. Continue to stir for a further 2 minutes.
• Around the 8 minute mark, the burfi mixture should be thick. Once it forms a soft mass that comes away from the sides of the pan and into a ball, it is ready.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin lined with baking parchment and pistachios. Press the mixture in with a rubber spatula, ensuring the surface is as even as you can get it.
• Allow to cool to room temperature. Cover a refrigerate for 30 minutes before turning out. The baking parchment will come away easily. Decorate with silver or gold leaf (optional). Cut into squares and serve at room temperature.

Video

Notes

• If your burfi begins to develop brown spots in places, it means either the heat is too high or you’re not stirring it enough. Keep it moving all the time to prevent burnt milk flecks.
• This burfi keeps well in an airtight container for up to a week. Keep refrigerated and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
• Burfi served cold from the fridge will be much firmer in texture.

Pin this Perfect Plain White Burfi for later!

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Mohanthal

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Eggless Gulab Jamun Cake

This simple, yet beautiful cake sees the queen of Indian sweets transformed into an easy-to-make dessert. Rose, cardamom and saffron give the syrup-glazed sponge its iconic “gulab jamun” flavour. Serve it with ice cream for a truly royal pudding, or enjoy a piece with masala chai.

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Pistachio Burfi

An easy recipe for melt-in-the-mouth Indian milk fudge (burfi) made with REAL PISTACHIO. Perfect for gifting. Your family and friends will love it!

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Indian-Inspired Rocky Road

Truffle-like chocolate studded with pistachios, almonds, dried mango, crystallised ginger, Turkish delight, mini marshmallows and spiced shortbread biscuits. Dried rose petals top the Rocky Road off beautifully.

Check out this recipe

Love Sanjana

The post Perfect Plain White Burfi appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Watch my Mohanthal and Dhilo Mohanthal video

What is Mohanthal?

Mohanthal, when served as a set square, is a sweet and delicious fudge made from toasted chickpea flour. The texture is grainy and meltingly short, like the lovechild of fudge and shortcrust pastry.

“Mohan” is another name for the Hindu deity, Krishna and “Thal” means plate. This dish is named after him and the saga of his sweet tooth.

What is Dhilo Mohanthal?

Dhilo Mohanthal (or Disco Mohanthal) is the hot, liquid form of Mohanthal. Serve it like hot fudge, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chopped nuts.

The ice cream melts into a pool, partially setting the Mohanthal it touches for a hot and cold pudding like no other. The textures of Dhilo Mohanthal are out of this world.

Indeed, it’s no wonder Mohanthal is such a popular dessert at Indian weddings; Gujarati and Rajasthani weddings in particular.

Why do they call it Disco Mohanthal?

It’s a mystery! I have no idea why, but some people call Dhilo Mohanthal Disco Mohanthal. What’s to question when it sounds this fun?!

Does anybody know why? Let me know in the comments!

What does Mohanthal and Dhilo Mohanthal taste like?

A favourite during holy festivals and family celebrations, the distinct, toasty smell of Mohanthal is inimitable. It calls for liberal use of mace. Not nutmeg, but the orange-hued outer blades that cover it.

Bring the flavours of your Mohanthal to life with the addition of salt. Yes, salt.

Butter vs. Ghee

I use salty butter to make my Mohanthal. Cue the gasps of horror. Purists will tell me the only way to make Mohanthal is with ghee. I respectfully disagree.

Butter

When you toast nutty chickpea flour in fat, it screams for salt. Think salted caramel on level 2,840 of Candy Crush Saga. It’s that delicious. I make Mohanthal more than I make most Indian mithais and believe me when I say that this one is best made with butter.

Still want to use ghee?

Having said this, you can indeed use ghee if you like. If ghee is your fat of choice, be sure to add a generous pinch of salt to the toasted besan. I promise, salt will bring your Mohanthal to life.

Do I really need a cooking thermometer?

Yes. A thousand times, yes! Unless you’re a well-seasoned mithaiwallah, don’t use the “string” method to check the consistency of your sugar syrup. It might have been the done thing years ago and that’s fine. Your grandma did it, my grandma did it, and so does my mum. I bet it’s the same for you.

However, if you’re a beginner and want accurate results, invest in a cooking thermometer. You’ll save yourself a lot of hassle and wasted ingredients. They’re fairly inexpensive. Check here for my recommendations (affiliate link).

How to cut Indian Mithai

Things you need to cut any kind of set Indian sweet neatly: A sharp knife, a steady hand and lots of patience. I like to use a metal ruler, a plastering trowel and cake scraper to mark out where to cut first.

A flexible spatula helps lift the mithai from the tin. The first one or two pieces cut from the tin will usually break. It’s okay! I like to roll the broken ones into laddoos. Never have high expectations for the first pieces you wangle from the tin.

Watch my Mohanthal and Dhilo Mohanthal video to see how I cut my Indian sweets neatly and evenly.

What should I do with scraps and broken Mohanthal?

Gather up any leftover scraps from the tin and roll it into a laddoo. Of course, this is also a good way to salvage any broken Mohanthal that didn’t quite make it out of the tin in one piece.

My Mohanthal-making equipment (contains affiliate links)

Grab the full list of equipment I use to make Mohanthal at home (including pots, pans, thermometer, tin, sieve, scales, knifes and more!). Shop my Mohanthal & Mithai-Making essentials now.

Mohanthal & Dhilo Mohanthal recipe

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Mohanthal and Dhilo Mohanthal

Buttery, melt-in-the-mouth fudge made with chickpea flour, cardamom, saffron and mace. Mohanthal is such a delicious Indian sweet (mithai). Enjoy it as a square or as a hot-fudge like pudding with vanilla ice cream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword gujarati, indian sweets, mithai

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Resting time 12 hours hours

Total Time 13 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• 2 x large, heavy-based pans
• Sugar thermometer
• Wooden spoon
• Fine mesh sieve
• Large bowl
• Sharp knife
• 20cm x 25cm x 10cm-deep (8" x 10" x 4"-deep) non-stick baking tin or 23cm (9") square. You can also use a 30cm round thali (at least 7cm deep) if you prefer.
• Kitchen scale

Ingredients

For the Dhrabo (this is the bit that ensures your Mohanthal has those essential crunchy pieces):

• 320 g chickpea flour
• 1 tbsp melted ghee
• 2 tbsp full-fat milk

For the Mohanthal:

• 325 g salted butter
• 90 g full-fat milk powder
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds
• 2 tbsp slivered pistachios
• 1 tsp saffron
• 1 1/2 tsp ground mace
• A pinch of orange food colour optional

For the sugar syrup:

• 400 g granulated white sugar
• 300 ml water

Instructions

To make the "Dhrabo":

• Place the chickpea flour in a large bowl. Add the melted ghee and milk. Stir well and then begin to rub the mixture together using your fingertips to form a sandy-texture. This similar to how you would rub butter with flour to create a crumble. Set this aside for 30 minutes. This mixture will give the Mohanthal its' distinct grainy texture.
• Sift the "Dhrabo" mixture through the fine-mesh sieve to remove large lumps. You may need to do this in stages. Don't skip this step, it's really important to ensure the mixture is thoroughly sifted so the final texture of the Mohanthal is correct.

To cook the "Dhrabo":

• Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the "Dhrabo" and stir well to incorporate. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture turns from a creamy beige colour to pinkish and caramel-like in colour. This should take 8-10 minutes depending on the level of heat. Don't stop stirring the mixture at any point.
• As soon as the mixture becomes a light pinkish colour, switch the heat off. Continue to stir for a further five minutes to temper the residual heat. The mixture will be extremely hot and it will continue to cook even after you switch the heat off. This is why it's important to switch the cooker off as soon as it begins to turn caramel-like in colour. Watch my video to see these stages. Add the milk powder and stir well to combine. Allow the mixture to cool while you make the sugar syrup.

To make the sugar syrup:

• Place the sugar in a large pan. Add the water and stir to combine. Once the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved, fit the pan with a sugar thermometer. If you're using a digital thermometer, theres no need to affix it to the pan. Don't stir the sugar syrup any more.
• Allow the sugar syrup to reach a temperature of exactly 115°C/239°F and then switch the heat off.

To flavour the Mohanthal:

• To the cooled chickpea flour and milk powder mixture, add ground cardamom, saffron, mace and optional orange food colour. Stir well to incorporate. It should now be cool or just room temperature. Note: If you add hot sugar syrup to this mixture while it's hot, it will clump up and become dry and crumbly. Always allow the chickpea flour mixture to cool.
• Very carefully, pour the hot sugar syrup into the chickpea flour mixture. Slowly begin the stir the mixture using a wooden spoon. After 2-3 minutes of stirring, it will become shiny and lava-like in appearance. The Mohanthal should have a distinct graininess which is what makes it so delicious. It is now ready to serve as Dhilo Mohanthal (loose/liquid Mohanthal).

To set the Mohanthal:

• Pour or ladle the liquid Mohanthal into a tin 20cm x 25cm x 10cm-deep (8" x 10" x 4"-deep) non-stick baking tin or 23cm (9") square. You can also use a 30cm round thali (at least 7cm deep) if you prefer. Flatten the top using a spatula and then sprinkle over some slivered almonds and pistachios.
• Allow the Mohanthal to cool to room temperature. This can take several hours.
• Once cooled, cover the tin with cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours or until completely set.
• Remove the tin from the fridge and allow to sit on the counter top for 30 minutes before cutting into pieces. I like to cut mine into approximately 2.5cm/1-inch squares using a sharp knife. If you want to be super accurate, you can score the top to create a guide before cutting all the way through. Watch the recipe video to see how I use a plastering trowel and cake scraper for super-sharp cutting.
• Enjoy the Mohanthal at room temperature, cold or hot.

To reheat set Mohanthal for Dhilo Mohanthal:

• Place a 2.5cm/1-inch square of Mohanthal into a microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 tbsp water and microwave on high power in 15 second bursts until liquid. Stir at every interval to distribute the heat evenly. Allow to cool before eating as it will be extremely hot!

Video

Notes

• It’s normal for butter to rise to the top of the set Mohanthal. This may turn opaque upon chilling. This was a highly-coveted result in more traditional times because many people didn’t have fridges to preserve their mithai. The layer of fat will help keep this Mohanthal fresh for weeks when stored (covered) in the fridge.
• Store the Mohanthal in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Cookie Dough Chocolate Burfi

The post Mohanthal and Dhilo Mohanthal appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

The highlight of every gathering

I have fabulous memories of digging in to fresh cream cakes at almost every family birthday party I went to. We never had novelty fondant-covered cakes at our gatherings.

My mum would spend all day baking, listening to her favourite songs on the cassette player and letting me lick the spoon. In our family, it’s tradition that when you make something sweet at home, the youngest child must have the first taste. It’s something we do to honour the memory of my great uncle, Velji bapu who died very young. We remember him always.

Can a vegan cake still taste good?

The sponge for this Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake is entirely vegan and the cake itself can be topped with your favourite vegan whipped cream, too. Nature’s Charm do a fantastic one. It’s light, fluffy, not too sweet and tastes like it came from a bakery. I add a combination of vanilla and almond extracts to give the cake that “just baked” flavour. It’s absolutely delicious and I defy you to notice the lack of eggs or dairy in this cake.

Can I make this Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake ahead of time?

I’d recommend baking the cake a few days before you want to eat it. Decorate it with jam, whipped cream, fresh fruit and chocolate curls the night before. Keep it covered and refrigerated and remove it from the fridge an hour before serving to let it come to room temperature. Ultimately, this makes ALL the difference. If eaten cold, the sponge may feel too heavy.

FAQ: How to bake a vegan cake

Ingredients you’ll need for this Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake

• Extra-fine self raising cake flour or sponge flour
• Caster sugar
• Almond milk (or your favourite plant-based milk)
• Cornflour (cornstarch)
• Lemon juice
• Baking powder
• Soy milk powder (NOW is a great option)
• Oil (any unflavoured – I use sunflower)
• Pure vanilla extract
• Almond extract
• Salt
• Vegan whipping cream (I use Nature’s Charm Coconut Whipping Cream)
• Mixed fresh fruit of your choice (I use strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwis, mandarins, peaches and pineapples)
• Chocolate curls (optional)

How to make Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake

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Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword almond, baking, birthday, cake, fruit, party, vanilla, vegan

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

4 hours hours

Total Time 5 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• 20cm x 25cm x 10cm-deep (8" x 10" x 4"-deep) non-stick baking tin or 9" x 4"-deep square
• Wire cooling rack
• Baking parchment
• Whisk
• Large bowl
• Large jug

Ingredients

For the vegan vanilla sponge cake:

• 480 ml almond milk, room-temperature (or any plant-based milk)
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional, or enhanced flavour)
• 180 ml oil (any unflavoured)
• 340 g extra-fine self-raising cake flour (sponge flour)
• 300 g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 25 g soy milk powder
• 1/4 tsp fine salt

To decorate the cake:

• 300 ml vegan whipping cream, cold (I used Nature's Charm)
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 200 g mixed fresh fruit of your choice (I used strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, mandarins, peaches and pineapples)
• Chocolate curls (optional)

Instructions

For the vegan vanilla sponge cake:

• Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Grease and line a 20cm x 25cm x 10cm-deep (8" x 10" x 4"-deep) non-stick baking tin (or 9" x 4"-deep square) with oil and baking parchment. Leave an overhang at either side to lift the cake out easily later.
• In a jug, whisk together the plant milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract. Allow to stand for 10 minutes and then whisk in the oil.
• Combine the remaining dry ingredients for the sponge in a large bowl.
• Add the milk and oil mixture to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth, about a minute. Do not overwork the batter.
• Pour the batter into the lined tin and rasp the base of the tin on the worktop a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. This cake will not brown too much.

To decorate the cake:

• Whip the coconut cream with some sugar. Refrigerate. Prep the fruit. Wash and dry all the berries, slice the pineapples, kiwis and peaches and drain the mandarins (I used tinned so drained the extra water, but you can also use fresh). Keep the fruit covered in a large plate in the fridge.
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then carefully run a knife around the edges. Lift the cake out using the overhanging baking parchment. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Once cool, brush the cake with the warm jam and top with whipped cream. Decorate with fresh fruit and chocolate curls.

Notes

HOW TO STORE THIS CAKE:

Keep the cake covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Remove the cake from the fridge 1 hour before serving to allow it to come to room temperature. Slice and serve.

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Like this? You’ll love these Vegan Midnight Brownies

Love Sanjana

The post Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

I’d like to apologise in advance because once you try these, there’s NO going back. Don’t @ me when you’ve eaten half the mixture out of the bowl before even pressing it into the tin. 

I’ve been tinkering with this recipe since Napoleon Dynamite was playing on the big screen (i.e. a long time ago). I spent hours making my own marshmallows and marshmallow fluff with varying degrees of success. I had a lot of failures; they consisted of marshmallow glob on the ceiling, two broken stand mixers and a LOT of sugar syrup. None of my attempts were as quick and easy as this one and that’s because I’ve left the sticky, tricky marshmallow making to the experts. Yep, all you need are a few bags of your favourite shop-bought vegan marshmallows, vegan margarine, rice cereal, vanilla and sprinkles. That’s it. You’re only five ingredients away from vegan rice krispie square heaven.

These chewy, gooey vegan rice krispie treats definitely get better with age. Is it weird that I like them the day after they’re made, after they’ve had time to absorb all the marshmallow goo and vanilla flavour? I like to be able to pull them apart with my fingers and nibble a little at a time.

How do I make quick vegan rice krispie squares?

The trick to gooey, chewy vegan rice krispie treats is ALL in the combo of vegan marshmallows to dairy-free margarine. Melt them together slowly and stir gently until the mixture is smooth and your arm feels like it might fall off (just kidding, it will take between 5-10 minutes). Be sure to stir GENTLY. Don’t beat it. The temperature should be low for slow and even melting. If it starts burning, the pan is too hot. Turn it down.

Use a silicone spatula to fold the rice krispies into the vegan marshmallow mixture while it’s still hot. Start by folding from the outside of the bowl to the centre. This will avoid unnecessary rice cereal smushing. Nobody likes unnecessary smushing, right?

Make sure your tin is greased and lined REALLY WELL for easy unmoulding when it comes to slicing the vegan rice krispie treats.

I use a tin at least 5cm deep because I can’t resist extra-thick vegan rice krispie treats. Use a shallower tin for thinner bars and more squares if you prefer. You can cut them to any size or shape you like. Tiny, bite-sized pieces are great for parties!

Scoop the mixture into the tin and use the flat surface of the spatula (greased with vegan margarine) to gently flatten the surface. You could also use the back of a spoon for this. Some people also use their hands (wet) but touching hot marshmallow gloop with bare hands isn’t something I recommend.

For a bigger marshmallow kick, toss an extra bag of mini marshmallows into the cereal mix. I love the ones by Freedom Mallows (not an ad, just a genuine recommendation). It’s such a treat, especially if you can find those mini pink and white vegan marshmallows.

How do I store these delicious vegan treats?

Once set, keep these vegan rice krispie treats in an airtight container and store in a cool place. They will soften over time so they’re best eaten within 48 hours of making them. The hard part is making them last this long, trust me.

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Vegan Rice Krispie Treats

These 30-minute Vegan Rice Krispie Treats are super THICK and extremely CHEWY. I’ve amped up the vanilla flavour with real vanilla bean paste for amazing flavour.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword bars, dairy free, easy, marshmallows, traybakes, vanilla, vegan

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 25

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 150 g crispy rice cereal
• 225 g vegan vanilla marshmallows
• 30 g vegan margarine
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• Your favourite sprinkles to decorate

Instructions

• Grease and line a 21cm (8-inch) square tin, about 5cm (2-inches) deep with nonstick baking parchment. In a large pan, melt the vegan margarine. Add the vegan marshmallows and vanilla and stir gently over a low heat until the marshmallows have completely melted and the mixture is smooth. It will feel like it won’t come together but be patient, it will. Switch the heat off.
• Fold in the rice krispies and mix with a silicone spatula until they are all completely coated.
• Turn out into the lined tin and using the back of a silicone spatula (grease it with some vegan margarine if you need to), smooth the top to make it flat. Press it gently to compact it slightly but not so much that you crush the cereal. Scatter your favourite sprinkles over the top if you’re feeling fancy.
• Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into squares as big or as small as your heart desires.

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Today is my 30th birthday and I’ve been sharing recipes here for 10 years. Can you believe it?! With each year, I’ve grown as a person, learning more about myself than I ever thought I would through a medium as lighthearted as a recipe blog. Exploring my cultural heritage through food has helped me get to grips with my own personal identity. With this I’ve understood and embraced what “home” really means to me. It’s where my family are; My husband, my son, my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and their children, all sitting around a dinner table eating great food and just being… well, a family.

Many of you know that I was born in Britain, the daughter of immigrants with Indian and East African roots. I was raised as a vegetarian Hindu so the food I ate growing up was a mishmash of spices, starches, vegetables and pulses. Learning to cook from my mum and her haul of Gujarati and Swahili cookbooks was both a pleasure and a privilege. I’m so glad I was able to extract happiness from those things early on because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to share so many of my favourite recipes with you all today.

I feel honoured to be connected with so many fans and readers. Together we are a community of 60,000 people from around the world across social media, each of us passionate about vegetarian Indian and East African food. Whether it’s a comfort classic or a modern take on an old favourite, we all appreciate a plate of food cooked with love. I hope to continue to grow, learn, explore and share recipes with you for years to come.

Being an oversharer, you probably know a tonne about me, but for a bit of fun, here are a few things you may not have known…

1. I’ve never been to India, yet Indian food is one of my biggest passions in life.
2. I’m a pyjama-holic. I’d live in loungewear if I could. Don’t let styled food and good photography fool you. Developing recipes and spending a lot of time covered in flour means that fancy clothes are off the cards and comfy joggers and vest tops are the norm. After a hard day’s work I’ll have butter in my hair, icing sugar on my top and and a smile on my face. An Insta-perfect life doesn’t exist and in today’s world of social media overload it’s important we don’t measure ourselves against someone else’s online persona – most of it is make believe anyway!
3. I’m an avid and life-long wrestling fan. But we’ll leave that story for another day.

Now let’s eat Birthday Cake Burfi and celebrate this old gal’s 30th.

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Birthday Cake Burfi

Sweet condensed milk fudge with a hidden layer of birthday cake and sprinkles!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword birthday, burfi, cake, fudge, indian sweets

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 30

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 400 g full-fat milk powder
• 200 ml double cream
• 2 x 397g tins sweetened condensed milk
• 3 eggless birthday cupcakes not frosted (recipe is on the blog)
• 150 g white chocolate to decorate
• 2 tbsp sprinkles to decorate

Instructions

• Crumble up the birthday cake cupcakes with clean hands, making sure you have fine crumbs. Don’t use a food processor for this and ensure the cupcakes are have been allowed to cool completely. I like to make the cupcakes the day before so they’re completely cool and ready to crumble.

To make the burfi:

• Combine the milk powder, cream and condensed milk in a pan. Cook on a low heat, stirring all the time until the mixture starts exuding oil and begins to come away from the sides of the pan. If you have a sugar thermometer, the mixture should reach 116°C (this is known as the soft ball stage). Keep stirring to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn as it can catch quite easily. Don’t worry if you do not have a sugar thermometer. You can check it’s ready by first spreading a little mixture on a cold plate and if you can roll it into a soft ball between your thumb and finger, it’s ready. Time to work quickly!
• Remove from the heat and spread half of the mixture inside the greased brownie tin. Even the mixture out with the help of a spatula. Top with the birthday cake crumbs immediately, making the layer as even as possible. Top with the rest of the Burfi mixture and again, use a spatula to even it out. You need to make quick work of this to ensure the Burfi mixture is still hot when you’re spreading it. You don’t want it to start setting or it will be hard to work with.
• Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Ensure the bowl isn’t touching the water. Pour the chocolate over the Burfi layer and spread it out evenly. Scatter with sprinkles and allow to sit at room temperature until set, about 8 hours or preferably overnight. Slice into squares and serve.

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What’s in this Indian-Inspired Rocky Road?

Truffle-like chocolate studded with pistachios, almonds, dried mango, crystallised ginger, Turkish delight, mini marshmallows and spiced shortbread biscuits. Dried rose petals top the Rocky Road off beautifully.

Last-minute Mithai

I’ve been known to leave things to the last minute at Diwali time when it’s customary to gift Indian sweets (“mithai”) to your nearest and dearest.

This recipe is a quick and easy raid-the-cupboard workaround that hits the spot when Pendas, Jalebis, Gulab Jamuns and Burfis are all too time consuming to make.

It’s also great for people who aren’t too keen on Indian sweets.

I’ve added all the things I love to this (namely pistachios, Nankhatai from the wonderful Chins’ Kitchen and Turkish delight) but you can swap any of these for what you like best.

Ways to Customise your Indian-Inspired Rocky Road

Other delicious mix-ins would be candied pineapple, coconut cookies and chopped dates. If you’re after a more authentic Indian sweet taste, add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom or cinnamon. This is your sweet treat to customise.

How to add jellies and marshmallows to Rocky Road

Freeze the Turkish delight pieces and mini marshmallows for about 2 hours before you start making these. This will help them keep their shape so you’ll get beautiful pink and white- studded pieces when you cut the Rocky Road.

Box it up for gifting

This Indian-inspired Rocky Road looks stunning when boxed up for gifting and even make a great after-dinner treat when you feel like dessert but are short of time.

How to store this Indian-Inspired Rocky Road at home

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge and they’ll keep well for up to 10 days, although I doubt they’ll last that long.

Follow me on Instagram for more Indian recipes!

After receiving a tonne of requests for Indian sweets through my latest Instagram Q&A session, I have a handful of Indian-style sweet recipes lined up, all in time for Diwali. I hold these Q&As regularly so make sure you’re following my Instagram Stories to tell me what you’d like to see next.

Indian-Inspired Rocky Road recipe

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Indian-Inspired Rocky Road

Truffle-like chocolate studded with pistachios, almonds, dried mango, crystallised ginger, Turkish delight, mini marshmallows and spiced shortbread biscuits. Dried rose petals top the Rocky Road off beautifully.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword chocolate, marshmallows, rocky road

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Chilling time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 300 g milk chocolate
• 300 g dark chocolate
• 140 g unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 100 g Turkish delight cubed
• 100 g Nankhatai broken
• 40 g toasted pistachios plus more for sprinkling on top
• 20 g toasted flaked almonds
• 20 g dried mango cut into 2cm pieces
• 20 g crystallised ginger cut into 2cm pieces
• 60 g gelatine-free mini marshmallows
• 2 tsp dried rose petals
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• In a freezer-safe container, freeze the Turkish delight pieces and mini marshmallows. This will help them keep their shape for pretty slices.
• Place the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. Give it a gentle stir every 5 minutes until melted and well combined. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
• Add the crushed Nankhatai, Turkish delight, nuts, dried mango, crystallised ginger and mini marshmallows. Combine to coat.
• Spread the mixture into a 9” x 6” brownie tin lined with greaseproof paper. Flatten the top and scatter with extra pistachios and dried rose petals.
• Cover and allow to set in the fridge for 6-8 hours.
• Slice however you like and serve with masala coffee.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for

Love Sanjana

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