My easy mawa barfi recipe requires only 4 ingredients including homemade, instant khoya (evaporated milk).
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
About Barfi
Barfi or burfi is a square shape Indian fudge. It is one of the most popular Indian sweets (mithai). Every Indian sweet shop makes and sells a variety of Barfi such as kaju barfi, besan barfi, khoya barfi, chocolate barfi, nariyal barfi, and so on.
Mawa is a dried or thick evaporated milk mainly used to make Indian sweets and desserts. It is also known as khova (khoya).
For this barfi recipe, you do not need readymade mawa. You can make it at home with only 2 ingredients.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Full-Fat Milk is the best for making any type of Indian sweet.
- Sugar: Use powdered white sugar. Adjust the quantity as per personal taste preference.
- Milk Powder: An unsweetened dairy whitener or milk powder is required for making khova.
- Cardamom Powder: It gives a sweet flavour and aroma to the mawa barfi.
Optional Ingredients
- Saffron: For light golden color, aroma, and sweet taste.
- Nuts: Almond flakes, chironji, and sliced pistachio are layered on top of barfi.
Watch Mawa Barfi Video
Storage Suggestion
You can store mawa barfi at room temperature in an airtight container lined with parchment paper for 1 – 2 days. It remains highly soft and mouth melting.
Do not leave barfi at room temperature for more than 2 days, especially in a hot and humid tropical climate.
Store it in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life of 7 – 10 days. After storing it in the refrigerator, the texture of the sweet becomes slightly dense.
More Indian Sweet Recipes for you to try
- Jalebi
- Atta Ladoo
- Besan Ladoo
- Sattu Ke Laddu
- Kesar Mawa Ghujia
- Kesar Mawa Modak
- Khoya Gulab Jamun
- Instant Coconut Ladoo
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Mawa Barfi Recipe
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
Ingredients
- 2 Cup milk powder (dairy whitener), unsweetened
- ⅔ Cup full-fat milk
- ½ Cup powdered white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
- 1 teaspoon saffron (kesar)
- 2 tablespoon milk
- ¼ Cup sliced almonds and pistachio
Instructions
- Soak saffron strands in warm milk. Set aside while preparing the barfi mixture.
- Add milk powder and milk in a heavy bottom kadhai. Turn on the heat. Start mixing till milk powder is nicely dissolved in milk. There should not be any lumps. This is STAGE 1.
- Maintain gas flame between low to medium. Keep stirring the milk mixture, after a few minutes it will start thickening. This is STAGE 2.
- Add cardamom powder and soaked saffron milk. Stir to combine in the barfi mixture. Keep stirring the barfi mixture. After 5 minutes, it will come together like a soft, non-sticky dough. This is STAGE 3. Turn off the heat.
- Transfer the barfi mixture to a wide mixing bowl. Allow to cool down completely.
- Once it is cool, add powdered sugar and mix nicely to form a dough.
- Line a square glass tray or baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the barfi mixture into the tray. Press using a spatula to make a square shape of half inch even thickness. Cover and keep the barfi in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours or overnight.
- Once barfi is set, cut it into equal size squares.
- Serve mawa barfi immediately or store it in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes:
- Make sure the barfi mixture is not hot or warm while mixing sugar. Else, it will start melting.
- If the barfi mixture seems way too sticky, keep it in the refrigerator for 20 – 30 minutes.
- Taste the milk powder and add the sugar accordingly.
- Adding saffron is an optional step. It does not affect the texture of the barfi.
Shobha sawant says
Like the receipe amazing , mouth watering
Hina Gujral says
thank you Shobha Ji for such a prompt feedback.
Shruthi Reddy says
Sounds really simple. Will definitely try this 🙂
Hina Gujral says
Great!
Rajni says
Looks so good! Tried it today, but when letting the mixture to cool down it turned really hard. Also very sticky to my teeth. l couldn’t even mix the powdered sugar with the barfi mix. Please help me.. what did l do wrong 🙁
Hina Gujral says
That is very strange. Did you follow the recipe measurements and also, what kind of milk powder you used?