Besan Burfi (chickpea flour/gram flour) is a very popular Indian dessert, especially during the festival season. As a kid, I used to eagerly wait for my mom to make besan burfi during Diwali. I absolutely love its aroma and the nutty flavor and the texture.

How do you make besan burfi?

I have had the good fortune of tasting some of the most amazing burfis all over India, but I love making this burfi at home. I love eating it when it’s fresh and I also like to be in control of all the ingredients.

I prepare this burfi by roasting the besan (chickpea flour) in ghee (clarified butter). After roasting, we add the saffron sugar syrup to the mix and allow the burfi to set. The two main elements that will make or break your burfi are 1) roasting it for long enough and 2) consistency of the sugar syrup.

You don’t need to feel overwhelmed when preparing this burfi. Be sure to refer to all my tips and step by step pictures to achieve the perfect results.

What kind of besan do I use?

I prefer to use the ladu besan for this burfi as it is extremely fine and you don’t have to sift it. If you don’t have the ladu besan, then you can use your regular besan and just be sure to sift it to get rid of any lumps or particles.

Can I use khoya, milk or milk powder in this recipe?

Although the addition of khoya/milk/milk powder is optional, I would not encourage it. I have made this burfi several times and I find the addition of khoya or milk powder changes its taste and texture.

Where can I buy all the ingredients for the burfi?

All the ingredients are readily available at local Indian grocery stores. If you don’t have one near you or prefer to order online, then please visit my list of Online Grocery Stores in the USA.

What other Indian desserts can I make?

If you love Indian desserts, you should definitely try making some of these:

• Coconut Burfi
• Gulab Jamun
• One-pot Kada Parshad (halwa)
• Soft and spongy Rasgullas
• Moong dal burfi
• Pistachio cake with cardamom glaze

Tips to make the perfect burfi:

BURFI TIPS:

• Sift your besan (no need to sift if you are using ladu besan) to get rid of any lumps or particles.
• Roast the besan on low flame to avoid it from burning. If you are a beginner, then seek the help of a partner, friend, and take turns in roasting. This is the longest and the MOST important process of making besan burfi.
• When you begin to roast, the besan will feel tight and heavy. This is absolutely normal so do not be tempted to add more ghee. Besan should not be swimming in ghee. The besan will begin to lighten up as it continues to roast (after 10 minutes).
• The besan should be roasted until it reaches a beautiful golden color and is aromatic. This process takes around 15-20 minutes. Set a timer for 20 minutes as soon as you begin roasting.
• After 15 minutes of roasting, keep an eye out on the color and switch off the flame as soon as it reaches a golden brown color. Remember that it will get darker once you add your sugar syrup.
• Once you add the sugar syrup to the besan mixture, it will begin to bubble up and get thick and darker in color. This is completely normal so do not be alarmed. Move fast and mix the two really well till the mixture is thick and is beginning to separate from the pan.

SUGAR SYRUP (CHASHNI TIPS)

• It is really important to get the consistency of the sugar syrup right. The sugar syrup should be boiled till it reaches a one string consistency. The easiest way to do this is to cook it for exactly 6 minutes once the sugar has dissolved.
• Once the besan has been roasting for 12 minutes, I remove it from the flame for a few minutes and begin to make my sugar syrup. It really helps if you already have everything measured out and ready to go. I normally keep all my sugar syrup ingredients ready in a pot so all I have to do is turn on the flame. Once I turn on the flame for the sugar syrup, I get back to roasting the besan.
• Once the sugar syrup has been cooking for 6 minutes, turn off the flame. Overcooking it will result in the burfi being rock hard.
• You will need to move fast once you mix in the sugar syrup with the besan mixture to transfer it to your cake/burfi pan.