Coconut and Nut Barfi ( Fudge)

Creamy smooth barfi with a  delicious cardamom scented coconut and nut center.

Ingredients:

Barfi:
480 grams / 16 oz milk powder
240 grams / 8 oz sugar
80ml water
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
½ teaspoon saffron strands
30 ml milk
30 ml melted ghee( clarified butter)
1 teaspoon green food colouring.

Filling:

240 grams Dessicated Coconut
240 grams Mixed nuts(almonds, pistachio, almonds, walnuts)coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
300 grams sweetenedCondensed milk
1 teaspoon red food colouring.

Method:

Filling

1. In a mixing bowl add the coconut and mixed nuts and  mix together.
2. Add the red food colour, pinch cardamom powder followed by the condensed milk a little at a time and and  make a stiff non sticky dough like mixture.(You may have a little condensed left over)
3.Divide mixture into 4 parts and roll each part into a 6 inch sausage shape of approx 2 inch diameter and place in fridge to chill.

Make the barfi:

1. Place the milk powder in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the melted ghee to the milk and add this to the milk powder and rub gently to form a bread crumb type of mixture. Leave aside for 15 minutes.
3. In a heavy bottom pan add the sugar and just enough water to cover the sugar. Bring to boil and cook sugar till it reaches 1.5 string consistency. (Approx 120 º C on sugar thermometer) Take the syrup off the heat and add the cardamom powder and a few strands of saffron and the green food colour. Mix well.
4. In a non stick pan add the prepared milk powder and heat on a very low heat until the milk powder starts to release some ghee and a sweet aroma is released. This should only take 3-4 minutes .(Keep stirring during this time and take care not to scorch the powder)
5. Turn off the heat and add the sugar syrup to the milk powder mixture and mix gently. Once all the syrup has been mixed in and barfi will start to come together in a ball. Leave to to cool only enough so that you can handle it. (If it is too cooled it will not roll)Divide the mixture into 4 parts,
6. Place a long  piece of foil on a flat surafce and use it for rolling out the barfi on it .Take one of the barfi parts  and roll into a neat  6x 4 inch  inch rectangle approx 8 mm thick.
7. Place one of the chilled coconut rolls on top of the barfi rectangle, with the help of the foil roll the barfi mixture to encase the coconut roll,(like a swiss roll) making sure it is rolled really tightly.Seal the join on the barfi roll by pinching and than smoothing it down  with your finger so no seam shows.
8. Once the coconut roll is fully encased in the barfi, roll this barfi roll in the foil and place it in the fridge to chill.
9. Repeat steps 6-8 again for remaining  3 parts of barfi.
10. Remove the barfi roll from the fridge and slice into 1 cm  round pieces.( To get a smooth crumble free slice dip the knife in  jug of hot water between cutting slices.)
11. If you get crumbley edges just reshape it in the palms of your hands by pressing it slightly.

Store in fridge , will keep up to 1 week.

NB - Alternatively you can make a barfi sandwich instead of roll.  To do this  divide the barfi mixture into two parts , grease a shallow dish/ cake tin and pat 1 part  barfi mixture into it. Layer it with the coconut and nut mixture and smooth  flat using a spoon . Add a final layer of barfi mixture and smooth it down. Leave to chill and cut into squares.

You may like:
Chocolate crunch barfi.

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