From auspicious holidays to family get-togethers, Indian burfis are an excellent way to show your loved ones how much you appreciate the sweetness they bring to your life. And what better way to incorporate India’s cherished values than with India’s favorite fruit? Mango!
This mango burfi recipe is the perfect mix of tangy fruit and creamy burfi – complete with an authentic Indian Alphonso mango base, inspired by Mumbai’s best sweet shops.
Tucked away in a small corner of Vile Parle East, Vijay Stores is home to Mumbai’s most popular mango burfi. In fact, the storeowner will often warn you that if you do not make it to the store early enough to pick up the morning’s fresh batch of mango burfi, the sweet will be gone by noon!
If you don’t have the time or the plane ticket to get to this sweet retreat, you can still bring home India’s love for mangos and mithai with this easy mango burfi recipe. It is sure to leave your family, friends, and guests with a deliciously sweet taste that will exemplify just how much you care!
Ingredients:
(Recipe makes about 25 individual burfis)
1 ½ cups of Alphonso Sweetened Mango Pulp (fresh squeezed mango pulp or unsweetened mango pulp can also be used)
1 cup of sugar (add another ½ cup if fresh mango pulp or unsweetened mango pulp is used)
1 cup of dry milk powder (do not use condensed milk or any other liquid milk substitute)
2 cups of ricotta cheese
A handful of slivered almonds
A sprinkle of cardamom powder to taste (not pictured)
A sprinkle of saffron to taste (not pictured)
1 tablespoon of ghee (to grease the pan)
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
How to:
1. In a large, non-stick pan, add the mango pulp, sugar, and ricotta cheese. Leave the milk powder aside for later use.
2. Blend the ingredients into a puree by hand or with an electric mixer. Make sure there are no clumps of unblended ricotta cheese in the puree. (Oki, I didn’t show the electric mixer part because well, you probably don’t want to see me operate a camera, an electric mixer, and a spatula at the same time.)
3. Cook the puree on low-medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Stir frequently to prevent burning the puree.
4. When the mixture is beginning to thicken, add the cardamom powder and saffron. Continue heating and stirring the puree for another 5 minutes.
5. Add the milk powder to the mixture and stir immediately. Break down any lumps with a potato masher or whisk.
6. Allow the puree to thicken over the heat for another 15-20 minutes. The puree should now look thick and smooth. Continue to stir regularly to prevent burning the mixture.
7. When the mixture reaches the consistency of soft dough and the sides of the mixture no longer stick to the pan, remove the pan from the heat.
8. Grease a ¾ inch cake pan with ghee.
9. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and pat it down evenly.
10. Add the slivered almonds and any additional garnishing, such as pistachios or fresh fruit.
11. Cover the cake pan in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to cool and set. The burfi can also be left in the refrigerator overnight.
12. Remove the burfi from the refrigerator after it has cooled and hardened, and slice it into 1-inch long squares. Carefully lift the squares out of the cake pan.
13. YUM! Serve chilled or room temperature.