Mango Burfi (With Milk Powder)

Bright, golden, and irresistibly fragrant, this mango burfi is summer captured in a bite. Made with fresh mango pulp,milk powder, ghee and sugar it has a soft, fudgy texture. Every bite is packed with tropical sweetness! Perfect when you are looking to make dessert with mangoes.

About My Recipe

Mango burfi is a seasonal, fruity twist on the traditional milk burfi. Traditional milk burfi is made with khoya or mawa. However, since I often get asked about indian mithai(sweets) made with milk powder, I decided to develop this recipe. I absolutely love making mithai with fruit added in. It turned out really good!

Texture wise, please keep in mind that as compared to milk burfi or besan ki barfi, which have a drier texture, due to fresh fruit pulp added in, the texture is softer. When you bite into the delicate burfi, you will get a smooth, melt in mouth, fudgy feel.

This was one of my most important learnings during the recipe development trial. I kept cooking the burfi mixture in an attempt to make it 'dry,' and the result, after setting, was a texture closer to soft caramel candy rather than burfi. So don't worry if the burfi mixture isn't as firm, this is intentional. In fact, don't be tempted to continue cooking it, because then the sugar will progress to the syrup stage and it will make your burfi sticky in texture.

I've shared more tips on exactly when to stop cooking the burfi mixture later in the post (don't miss them)!

This mango burfi is

• perfect addition to party or celebration menus.
• is a delicious edible gifting option.
• It is grain free and can be easily made nut free (skip the nuts on top)
• Easy and quick to make (takes about 30 minutes)
• Uses only a few ingredients.Calls for just 5-6 ingredients. You will easily find all these ingredients in indian or American stores.
• A treat for mango lovers & a crowd pleaser - who doesn't love mangoes!!

Ingredients

• Mango Pulp- Go for any sweet, ripe in season mangoes. I use Honey or Ataulfo mangoes because they have a fruity, sweet flavor and they are not fibrous. In Indian you can use Kesar, Dusheri or Alphonso mangoes. Canned mango puree is perfectly fine to use when its not mango season. I like using kesar Mango Puree from Deep foods. In the recipe card, I am providing the measurement in grams so if you are using store bought mamngo pulp, you know the exact amount to use.
• Milk Powder - Similar to most mithai recipes I have shared in the past, I use whole milk powder. My favorite to use is Nido brand which has a very good percent of milk fat. You can also use mawa powder from Deep foods or any brand you can find in indian or pakistani stores. Dont use skim or low fat milk powder.
• Saffron - Or you can use green cardamom for flavoring.
• Powdered Sugar - The cornstarch present in powdered sugar really helps build the texture of burfi since there are lot of high moisture ingredients.

How To Make Mango Burfi

1. Line a 8 by 8 baking dish with parchment paper.
2. To a large non-stick pan (I used 12 inch), add the mango puree, powdered sugar and milk powder.

3. Using a spatula, mix very well, until you see no white milk powder or sugar.
4. Place the pan on a low flame. Cook on low heat, keep stirring with a spatula. As the mixture heats up, the sugar will release its moisture and the mixture will be easier to stir and will feel soft. Keep on scraping the sides of pan and mixing in, however if the mixture on sides becomes too dry, leave it.
5. Add saffron soaked in milk. Continue to cook.

6. In about 8-10 minutes, you will see that the burfi mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan and clumping around the spatula. It won't be sticky and you will be able to fold it over itself without spreading.
7. Add ghee and cook for a minute to bring it together. Don't overcook else the sugar will start to caramelize and barfi will become hard. 
8. Transfer the mixture to a lined tray. Level using a spatula. You can press some nuts on top if you wish.

9. Cool down completely. Once cooled, I put it in the fridge for 4-6 hours.
10. Once set, using a sharp knife cut into squares.

Note:- I have cut big squares, you can easily get 12 squares from this recipe. Thickness of burfi depends on the tray you set the mixture in. You can make it as thin or thick as you like.

How to check the readiness of the burfi mixture?

Below are a few pointers that will help you know that the burfi mixture is ready to be set :-

1. The burfi mixture won't seem moist or runny; instead, it'll be smooth with a slightly fudgy texture.
2. When you heap the burfi mixture in the pan's center, it won't spread much or do so slowly.
3. The mixture will gather into a mass around the stirring spoon.
4. You'll find it easy to fold the mixture over itself.
5. For a check, dampen your hands and take a portion of the cooked burfi mixture. You'll be able to roll it into a small soft ball effortlessly without it sticking to your fingers.

Recipe Tips

• Cooking Pan - I prefer using non stick pan when making milk based mithai like peda or burfi and I recommend you do the same.
• Cooking Temperature - Cook the burfi mixture on low to avoid burning. Making mithai needs patience, please dont rush the process.
• Always spread parchment or wax paper (with overhang) at the bottom of the tray you are setting the burfi in. It is so easy to lift out once set.

Storing & Serving

Since this is a milk based mithai, store mango burfi refrigerated in a single layer. If you have to stack it, you can add a piece of parchment in between- that way the burfi squares dont stick to each other. Store for 3-5 days in the fridge.

Before serving, take burfi out of the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy as a dessert or snack.

Freeze mango burfi for up to a month. Individually freeze the squares first by placing in a single layer on a tray. Set the tray in the freezer to completely freeze the burfi squares. Then you can pop into a ziploc and store.