Kaju Barfi
काजू बर्फी
India's most luxurious and gifted sweet — a pure, snow-white diamond of ground cashew paste and sugar syrup that is simultaneously crumbly, fudgy, and melt-in-the-mouth. Kaju Barfi (from "kaju" — cashew, and "barfi" — from the Persian word for snow, referring to its colour and texture) is the sweet of choice for Diwali boxes, wedding trays, and special occasion gifts across India. Unlike most Indian mithai which relies on milk-based processes, Kaju Barfi derives its entire flavour and texture from cashews — dry-ground to a fine powder, mixed with a precisely cooked sugar syrup, and kneaded into a dough that sets firm when cooled. The signature silver leaf (varak) applied to the surface is edible and traditional, though purely decorative. A perfectly made Kaju Barfi has no added flavour beyond the natural butterscotch sweetness of cashews — nothing should distract from the pure, clean luxury of the nut.
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 20
- Level
- Medium
Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min
Ingredients
Method
Grind the cashews: Ensure the cashews are completely dry — spread on a tray at room temperature for 30 minutes if they feel at all oily or moist. Blend in a food processor until you have a very fine, flour-like powder. Do not over-process: if the powder starts clumping and releasing oil (like nut butter), the cashews are too warm. If this happens, spread the powder on a tray and refrigerate 10 minutes, then re-process briefly.
About 8 min
Tip: Grinding in short pulses and letting the processor rest between pulses keeps the cashews cool.
Make the syrup: Combine sugar and 60 ml water in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium flame, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Cook without stirring for 4-5 minutes until the syrup reaches one-string consistency (when you lift a small amount between two fingers and pull apart, one sticky thread forms). Add cardamom powder. Remove from heat immediately.
About 8 min
Tip: One-string consistency is the critical temperature (about 110°C). Over-cooking makes the barfi grainy; under-cooking makes it soft and sticky.
Combine and knead: Add the cashew powder to the syrup and stir quickly over very low heat until it forms a smooth dough that comes away from the sides of the pan (2-3 minutes). Transfer to a surface greased with ghee. Knead gently for 1-2 minutes while still warm until smooth and pliable. Roll out to about 1cm thickness between two sheets of greaseproof paper. Apply silver leaf sheets if desired. Cool at room temperature for 20-30 minutes until firm, then cut into diamond shapes with a sharp knife.
About 10 min
Tip: The dough sets firm as it cools. If it cracks when cutting, it was cooked slightly too long. Perfect barfi is firm but not brittle.
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
- Calories
- 145
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 2 mg
Contains: nuts
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Recipe by Boon Tools.