Coconut and Pistachio Burfee by Yudhika Sujanani

It’s that time of year ago and once again, I headed back to the kitchen to test and develop more recipes for Eid.  I  came up with a selection of recipes and took a look at it only to realize that it would just not be Eid without a Burfee recipe.  After a chat to the food editor, Jenny Kay, it was back to the drawing board.

It does become a challenge…every year around Eid and Diwali there are requests for burfee recipes.  Last year, I did a rose and pistachio burfee https://yudhikayumyum.com/2013/10/29/rose-and-pistachio-burfee/

This time, I decided to play around with coconut and pistachios and I came up with a delicious creamy version of this old favourite.  I love just love coconut…desiccated, freshly grated, milk or just as is.

If you are looking for a new burfee recipe, this might be the one for you!

Coconut and Pistachio Burfee

500g Klim milk powder
145g dessert cream

125g butter
125ml sugar
1 x tin condensed milk
145g dessert cream
2 x 400g tins coconut milk
Green food colouring, to tint
125ml icing sugar
5ml ground cardamom
Edible gold leaf, to decorate
Pistachios, to decorate


Rub the cream into the milk powder until the mixture resembles crumbs.  
Set aside for 60 – 90 minutes.
Grease a 20 x 20cm casserole dish with non stick spray or butter.
Line the dish with plastic wrap, leaving some of the wrap draped over the sides of the dish.  
Grease the plastic wrap with non stick spray or butter.
Place the mixture into a food process in batches and blitz until the crumbs are fine ground.
Combine the butter, sugar, condensed milk, dessert cream and coconut milk in an AMC sauce pan and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer while stirring continuously to ensure it does not scorch.  This does take some time – don’t rush as if this is cream is not thick enough the burfee will not set properly.

Once the mixture reaches the consistency of thick custard, remove from the heat and add a few drops of food colouring.

Add the milk powder in batches and stir well.
Lastly stir in the icing sugar and ground cardamom.
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish, and leave in a refrigerator to set overnight.
Loosen the excess plastic and lift the burfee out of the dish.
Slice the burfee into cubes, wiping the knife with warm damp dishcloth.
Garnish with gold leaf and pistachios.