Besan Barfi, also called Besan ki Chakki, is a delicious, fudgy, and melt-in-mouth traditional delight. Besan ki Burfi is a authentic sweet prepared with just a few basic ingredients - gram flour, ghee, sugar, flavored with cardamom and saffron.
The Indian festival season is jam-packed with fun and delicious food! We make a lot of sweets and snacks at this time of the year.
This Besan Barfi is an Indian chickpea flour fudge that is a must-have for the festive season or any occasion in India.
Recently I have been leaning into the traditional ingredient - besan (gram flour), and creating a lot of recipes with it.
I shared the Magaz or Magas recipe recently, a similar sweet delicacy, which is particularly popular in Gujarat. I also shared Besan Ladoo and Besan Halwa recipe.
Traditional besan burfi recipes need an understanding of sugar syrup consistency. If you are a beginner, my detailed explanation will help you learn it quickly. I've also mentioned lots of helpful tips and tricks.
The procedure for making besan barfi is simple, similar to almond barfi, and if you follow all of the stages perfectly, you will have perfect delicious barfi whose flavor will linger long after you have eaten it.
Serve this delicious dessert on a special occasion to treat yourself and your family. Oh...and a little secret, this besan ki burfi is a perfect little treat to enjoy with chai 😊
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What is Besan Barfi?
Besan Barfi, also known as Punjabi Besan ki chakki, is a authentic Indian sweet prepared from gram flour, ghee, sugar, and cardamom.
These squares are not just made during the festive season, but also year round in North India. They are loved for their flavor and aesthetic appeal.
This recipe yields a wonderfully set besan burfi with a rustic nutty fragrance that melts in your mouth.
Difference between Magas and Besan Burfi
If you look at the Magas recipe, you will notice that the ingredients to make Besan burfi are the same. However there are slight differences.
- Magas is made with coarse gram flour, while besan burfi is typically made with the regular fine flour.
- Powdered sugar is added to make magas, while a single string sugar syrup is made for besan burfi.
- More ghee is added for magas as there is no water used. This makes magas to have a softer texture than besan burfi, which is more like a set fudge (similar to chocolate).
Ingredients
- Besan (Gram Flour): You can prepare this besan burfi with either regular or coarse besan flour (ladoo besan).
- Ghee: When cooking burfi, don't scrimp on the ghee. Use store-bought ghee or make your own. I like to make ghee in the instant pot.
- Cardamom: It adds a delicious flavor to the burfi.
- Water & Sugar: You'll need this to make sugar syrup.
- Saffron: I add some saffron strands to the sugar syrup, but this is optional.
- Garnish: You'll need almonds and pistachios (optional).
How to make?
There are just a few simple steps to make besan burfi. The main time is to roast the besan. This can take 20-25 minutes, and does need a little hand work. But it is totally worth it.
Grease a small baking tray 9x9 with ghee or line with parchment paper. An 8x8 tray will work too. Parchment paper is preferable since it makes it much easier to remove the barfi once it has been set.
Roasting besan
- In a pan over medium heat, melt the ghee.
- Add the gram flour to the pan and roast at a low-medium temperature. The mixture clumps at first. After about 10 minutes, it starts to loosen up. Keep stirring until the mixture smells nutty and has darkened slightly in color.
- Continue stirring to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan and from burning. It will be done in about 20-25 minutes.
- Turn off the flame. Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes more, as the pan is still hot and we don't want the flour to burn. Mix in the cardamom powder and give it a stir. Now let the besan cool down while we make the sugar syrup.
Note: I have included lots of images to show how the besan changes color. You want to get the perfect golden brown color to make sure that the besan is roasted properly and not raw.
Make sugar syrup
- Add sugar and water to a pan—heat on medium flame. You can also add a few strands of saffron.
- Let the sugar dissolve, which will take around 3-4 minutes. Then lower the heat and let the syrup simmer for 6-7 minutes until it reaches one string consistency. You can also use a thermometer to check that the temperature is 222°F (or 106°C). Turn off the heat. Do not overcook the syrup once one string consistency is reached.
- To check one string consistency without a thermometer: Take a few drops of syrup in a ladle and then from that a drop of syrup between your thumb and index finger and check by pulling them apart a few times to check that a single string is formed for about a centimeter, and then it breaks.
Note: It is important to cook the sugar syrup to the right consistency. As otherwise the burfi might not set. It the syrup gets overcooked, the barfu can get hard. So be vigilant when making the sugar syrup.
Mix and Set
- The besan mixture should be lukewarm by now. Add the sugar syrup and mix well.
- Transfer the mixture immediately into the prepared tray and spread it evenly. Use a flat spatula to make it smooth on the top. And tap the tray on the counter couple of times to get the mixture to spread evenly. Garnish with thinly sliced almonds and pistachios.
- Allow the barfi to settle for 2-3 hours. Depending on the weather, this can also take 4-6 hours.
- When the besan barfi has been set, cut into squares or diamond shapes using a sharp knife.
- Remove gently so that they do not break. Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container. Enjoy!
This besan burfi stays good at room temperature for up to 2-3 weeks. It is great, healthy-ish treat for kids, and can be pack for on-the-go activities or lunch boxes.
Tips to make perfect Besan Burfi
Measure: When making Indian sweets, I highly recommend measuring using a scale for the best results. In the recipe, I've given gram measurements.
Roasting: Avoid roasting the besan flour over high heat. The flour will burn and won't taste good. Even though it is a bit of handwork, continue to stir constantly. Roast the flour until it becomes brown rather than yellow. If you don't completely roast it, the flour will have a raw taste.
Saffron strands: For additional taste, add saffron strands. Mix them with the sugar syrup.
Do not scrimp on ghee: If you use less ghee, the barfi may not be set correctly. However, do not overdo it.
Speed: After mixing the sugar syrup, you want to immediately transfer the mixture to the prepared dish for setting the barfi. If not done right away, the mixture can clump together and it will be hard to transfer and set properly.
Cutting: When cutting the set burfi, make sure you use a sharp knife.
Common Questions
In my trials, it has taken between 20 and 25 minutes to roast the besan. However, you will be able to tell when the besan is cooked by its brown color and aroma.
Besan burfi can be kept at room temperature for approximately 2-3 weeks. In warmer weather, though, it is best to store it in the fridge after a week or so. Pro tip: While eating it, microwave it for 10 seconds to make it taste very fresh and delectable.
This can happen if the sugar syrup is not cooked properly. It is important to check the one-string consistency or even better use a food thermometer to check that the syrup is cooked to the right consistency.
To try, you can roast the whole mixture again in a pan for a few minutes until it leaves the sides. Then try to set the burfi again.
This can happen if the sugar syrup was overcooked. The right consistency of the sugar syrup is important to make this burfi.
I hope you enjoy this delicious authentic Besan Burfi sweet during the festive season.
More Indian desserts you will enjoy:
Besan Barfi Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cup Gram flour (Besan)
- 1 cup Ghee
- ¾ cup Water
- 1 ½ cup Granulated Sugar can add ¼ cup more for sweeter taste
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom powder
- 4-5 Almonds sliced, for garnish
- 4-5 Pistachios sliced, for garnish
Instructions
Roasting besan
- Grease a small baking tray 9x9 with ghee or line with parchment paper and spread the mixture into the tray and spread it evenly. Parchment paper is preferred as it makes it much easier to get the barfi out once it is set.
- Melt ghee in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the gram flour to the pan and roast at a low-medium temperature. The mixture clumps at first. After about 10 minutes it starts to loosen up. Keep stirring until the mixture smells nutty and has darkened slightly in color. Continue stirring to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan and from burning. It will be done in about 20-25 minutes.
- Turn off the flame. Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes more, as the pan is still hot and we don't want the flour to burn. Mix in the cardamom powder and give it a stir. Now let the besan cool down while we make the sugar syrup.
Make sugar syrup
- Add sugar and water to a pan. Heat on medium flame. You can also add a few strands of saffron.
- Let the sugar dissolve, will take around 3-4 minutes. Then lower the heat and let syrup simmer for 6-7 minutes until it reaches one string consistency. You can also use a thermometer to check that the temperature is 222°F (or 106°C). Turn off the heat. Do not overcook the syrup once one string consistency is reached. To check one string consistency without a thermometer: Take a few drops of syrup in a ladle and then from that a drop of syrup between your thumb and index finger and check by pulling them apart that a single string is formed for about a centimeter, and then it breaks).
Mix and Set
- The besan mixture should be lukewarm by now. Add the sugar syrup immediately and mix well.
- Transfer the mixture into the prepared tray and spread it evenly. Use a flat spatula to make it smooth on the top. And tap the tray on the counter couple of times to get the mixture to spread evenly. Garnish with thinly sliced almonds and pistachios.
- Allow the barfi to settle for 2-3 hours. Depending on the weather, this can also take 4-6 hours.
- When the besan barfi has set, cut into squares or diamond shapes using a sharp knife.
- Remove gently so that they do not break. Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Dur-e-shehwar says
Your recipes are worth trying. Seriously, I appreciate you. Great work.
Laura says
Greetings to you! Has anyone made a chocolate version?
Maybe add 2 Tbsp Dutch cocoa powder , more butter and a little more sugar?
Thank you. Take care...
Meeta Arora says
Hi Laura - I have not tried, but that could work well. I have this Chocolate Ladoo recipe if that is of interest - https://pipingpotcurry.com/chocolate-ladoo/