Back in February, I had the fortune of being able to taste samples of Barfia’s extraordinary fusion mithai collection based in London. The packaged sweets came complete with a golden bow on top, and it reminded me of younger days when I would get to enjoy candies for birthdays and holidays.
Barfia sweets is definitely not the overly sugary, processed food that we all loved as children – it’s a refined, smooth taste that informs us all just how versatile Indian mithai is! Barfia’s owners, Raji and Sam, are aiming for a niche market: fusion sweets that mix traditional mithai flavors such as malai with Western twists, like cheesecake and champagne. The result is a deliciously incredible sweet that I couldn’t stop craving more of!
Barfia makes sure their sweets are flavored properly – using real fruit juices and natural ingredients everywhere they can. The taste definitely reflects the authenticity (not to mention the compatibility of Eastern/Western flavors), and you’ll find yourself wondering why fusion mithai hasn’t been done till now!
I kept careful note of each scrumptious sweet I tasted in the box (and it makes me wish I still had them to enjoy!):
From top left to bottom right:
Vanilla cheesecake: This sweet was a perfect blend of sweet and creamy – it tasted just like a thick, NY-style cheesecake with an extra dose of creamy malai. It looks authentic too, with graham cracker crumbs and visible vanilla beans.
Coconut: I’m not usually a fan of coconut-flavored candies, but I did love this sweet! It has a believable authentic coconut taste that’s brought out by a chocolate drizzle.
Orange: As a fan of the creamy orange-sicle as a child, I loved this flavor! It has the tanginess of an orange with the sweetness of mithai. The flavor isn’t too bold, and the overall result is a perfect blend of fruity and creamy.
Champagne: If you’re a fan of brut, brisk champagne, you’ll notice the fresh and bold flavor of the alcohol in this sweet. I was impressed by how champagne could be infused in an age-old Indian treat, and I found that the taste goes surprisingly well by balancing against the sugary flavors. It’s a fun and exciting twist that I highly recommend for any extra-special events!
Milk Chocolate: The traditional milk mithai proves that Barfia has really mastered their fundamental confectionary skills. The sweet is thick in texture and satisfyingly creamy. The milk chocolate gold-embossed damask on top dresses the sweet up for special occasions.
White Chocolate Raspberry: This mithai was my favorite, mostly because I’m a sucker for white chocolate/raspberry combinations, and this sweet captured the tart-creamy blend perfectly. The pink-and-white square has different textures: the bottom half is crumbly and thicky while the top is smooth and melts in your mouth. It was a delight to eat – and even to look at with the dried raspberry flakes on top!
Carrot Fudge: The “fudge” part of this mithai really speaks for itself, as the sweet is thick, crumbly and reminded me of carrot cake. The taste was subtle, yet accurate – not overwhelmingly “carrot”, but at the same time not too sweet. It was an ideal version of your perfect carrot cake (minus the cream cheese frosting) compacted into a little square.
Candy Floss: I was very excited to see a pink, glittery sweet in this box – edible glitter is a great way to spruce up any gift or occasion! The “candy” flavor does stand out, and I can imagine this mithai is popular amongst children.
Mint: Mint isn’t a common flavor in Indian sweets – but Barfia managed to make a version that doesn’t make the cream and mint combination taste gross. The mint flavor was very subtle and almost unnoticeable – so the sweet ended up tasting mostly like traditional mithai. However, the slight refreshing kick was nice and the green square adds a welcome new color to the box.
Motichoor Laddoo: Boondi laddoos are a very popular Indian snack, and for good reason! They’re a bit too sweet for my taste, but Barfia did replicate the traditional flavors perfectly. There’s nothing fusion about this laddoo, but the bright red color and edible glitter made it extra-fun to eat!
Barfia has done an excellent job introducing fusion mithai to the sweets market, and they’ve served it to many excited guests at weddings and other special events. The next time you’re in London, I recommend making a pit stop to Barfia so you can taste the unique fusion of flavors for yourself!
You can read more about Barfia and reach out them via their Facebook page.