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Homemade coconut burfi is soft, chewy, delicious and so simple to make! Made with wholesome and minimal ingredients, this coconut fudge makes for a satisfying treat that’s quick and easy to prepare in an Instant Pot. This recipe is naturally gluten-free and can easily be made vegan.
“What an amazing recipe, easy peasy and fussy family approved. My 6 year old doesn’t eat any Indian sweets and she LOVED it. Thank you so much for posting this one.”
Rachita
What is Coconut Burfi?
Coconut burfi, also known as nariyal burfi, is a popular South Indian sweet made for all kinds of festivals and celebrations.
Making this burfi can be a time-consuming process. Coconut burfi is traditionally made by hand-grating fresh coconuts and making a sugar syrup. But we’re taking a much easier approach with my recipe – which still tastes just like authentic coconut burfi.
No need to scrape any coconuts, or cook sugar syrup, or continuously stir milk until it reduces. We’re taking all the shortcuts, which means using shredded coconut, dry milk powder, and the Instant Pot to make a sugar syrup.
The result? Coconut fudge that tastes like chewy coconut candy. It’s incredible.
Coconut burfi is my go-to burfi. Almost everyone loves it. Even my girlfriends who claim not to like sweets (how’s this even possible?) like this burfi and actually request that I make it.
The coconutty flavor and chewy texture of these sweet squares are irresistible. It’s like eating the inside of a Mounds bar, only better.
Ingredients
Coconut burfi calls for very few ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sugar: I use organic cane sugar (I get it from Costco).
- Water
- Ghee
- Cardamom: I always recommend using freshly ground cardamom in desserts – it makes a huge difference. The flavor and aroma is much stronger than what you’ll get from a jar of ground cardamom that’s been sitting on a shelf. Save the storebought stuff for curries. To grind your own cardamom, first remove the green shell, then grind the black seeds inside.
- Dry Dessicated Shredded Coconut: Make sure the coconut is finely shredded (not large shreds) and unsweetened. I suggest the brand Let’s Do Organic or Bob’s Red Mill.
- Dry Milk Powder: any dry milk powder will work. I’ve tested this with a few different brands. I like the brand Nido, which is found at most Indian grocery stores.
Dairy-Free? If you want to make this dairy-free, you can substitute coconut oil for ghee and coconut milk powder for dry milk powder. The only other change is that you will need to saute for an extra couple of minutes at the end (5 minutes instead of 3). Please see the notes in the recipe card for details.
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How to Make Coconut Burfi
This burfi is so simple to make. Add water and sugar to the Instant Pot and pressure cook.
Once that’s done, press sauté, and add the remaining ingredients to the pot (ghee, milk powder, coconut, and cardamom) and stir for 3 minutes, or until the coconut begins to stick together and looks like this:
Spoon it into a parchment-lined 8×8 pan and smooth out the top with either a spatula or another piece of parchment paper.
Let it cool, put it in the fridge for a couple of hours, then slice and enjoy!
Coconut Burfi Tips:
- How to Store Coconut Burfi: Store this burfi in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before you eat it.
- Want to Add Food Coloring? Add it in Step 4 when you sauté and mix the ingredients together.
- Use Freshly Ground Cardamom: I mentioned this above as well because it’s important. Please use freshly ground cardamom for the best aroma and flavor.
- Planning to Freeze this Burfi? You can keep it in the freezer for 2-3 months in an air-tight container.
Looking for More Desserts? Give these a try:
- Kaju Katli
- Besan Burfi
- Milk Burfi
- Kalakand
- Khajoor ki Mithai (date fudge)
- Lauki Burfi
- Healthy Ladoo
Coconut Burfi
Coconut Burfi
5 from 16 reviews
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Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Ingredients
- 150 grams sugar ¾ cup
- 4 ounces water ½ cup
Add later:
- 2 ounces room-temperature ghee ¼ cup
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom powder
- 150 grams dry finely shredded unsweetened coconut 2 cups
- 85 grams dry milk powder 1 cup
Instructions
Put sugar and water in the pot and mix well.
Secure the lid, close the pressure valve, and cook for 6 minutes at high pressure.
Quick-release.
Press the sauté button (default medium setting), then add the ghee, shredded coconut, milk powder, and cardamom to the pot and mix for 3 minutes or until the coconut absorbs the syrup and the mixture thickens and sticks together. When this happens, remove from heat.
Spoon the mixture out into a parchment-lined 8×8 pan/dish and use another piece of parchment to spread the mixture evenly.
Let the pan of burfi cool down (on a wire rack – takes about 30 to 40 minutes), then put it in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
Remove the chilled fudge, slice it into squares, and serve. (I slice 5 rows by 5 rows and cut off any uneven edges).
Notes
- Store this burfi in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before you eat it.
- If you want to make this dairy-free, you can substitute coconut oil for ghee and coconut milk powder for dry milk powder. The only other change is that you will need to saute for an extra couple of minutes during Step 4 (5 minutes instead of 3).
- If you want to add food coloring, add it in Step 4 when you sauté and mix the ingredients together.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @myheartbeets on Instagram and hashtag it #myheartbeets!
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About Ashley
Hi, I’m Ashley. Thanks for being here! I truly believe that food brings us closer together. Gather around a table with good food and good people, and you’ll have the ingredients you need to create some happy memories. My hope is that you find recipes here that you can’t wait to share with family and friends.
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Comments
Komal says
Hi Archana ! How long does it last in the fridge ? Thanks !
KomalReply
Eleonora says
Hi, can you use a normal pot to cook the burfi please?
If so, do i need to adjust cooking times?
Cheers!Reply
Neha says
does it need to be Ghee or will regular unsalted butter work in it’s place?
Reply
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Neha, regular butter should be fine here – let me know how it turns out for you 🙂
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