Recipe of the month: Apple Coconut Burfi

I would have loved to bring you this Indian dessert in time for Ganesh Chaturthi but clearly, I wasn't able to. Never mind. Deepavali isn't too far away 😛

For those of you who follow my blog primarily for the recipes, I know an apology is in order. I am acutely aware that I have been posting more product and service reviews lately. I have just been so swamped with them that I have not had time to post anything else. I have also been concurrently working on a 20-book series review which has been taking a lot more time than I anticipated. On top of that, life on the work front has been more hectic than usual so I look forward to the weekends to do as little as possible. But once I'm done honoring my pending collaboration commitments and tackling my unfinished book review, that should (hopefully) free up some time to write about my primary love that is food 😁 So, don't give up on me fellow foodies.

Anyway, let me talk about this Indian sweet today. This is a twist on the classic coconut burfi (aka "nariyal burfi" or "kobbari mithai" as we refer to it in kannada). This fudge-like burfi incorporates grated apples into it in addition to the coconut giving it a mellow fruity taste. This version also has chopped walnuts in it and is topped with pistachio slivers so it also has a delightful nuttiness. 

With only six ingredients, this sweet treat comes together in less than 30 minutes from start to finish (excluding the cooling and chilling time). A great make-ahead dessert this one. The recipe is quite simple and idiot-proof so you pretty much cannot go wrong you guys. Take it from someone like me who does not have a flair for getting Indian sweets right most of the time. It is also vegan-friendly and gluten-free so I'd say it ticks all the boxes when it comes to dietary preferences. 

I have modified the original recipe in that I reduced the amount of sugar. I still found the burfis quite sweet for my liking but I'd say it was just about okay. Everybody else thought it was fine....my kids in fact, loved it. I used Pacific Rose apples from New Zealand because I love their flavour and texture but you can use any kind of sweet or semi-sweet apple that you can get your hands on. However, I suggest you avoid Granny Smith apples since they are quite tart. If you find that you have a lot of apples at home that you have no idea what to do with, you could just make this burfi. 

Hope you try this super easy recipe. And please leave a comment to let me know how it turned out.

Apple Coconut Burfi

Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 15-20 min
Cooling time: 30 min to come to room temperature plus minimum 2 hours in the fridge
Makes: 16 squares; Serves: 6-8
Recipe category: Dessert/Indian
Recipe level: Easy
Recipe source: Adapted from here

Ingredients:

2.5 cups (about 3 medium-large) apple, peeled and grated 
1 cup freshly grated coconut (refer notes)
1 cup refined sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp crushed cardamom

1 Tbsp sliced pistachios (for garnishing)

A little ghee or coconut oil (for vegan version) for greasing the plate/dish

Method:

1. Get all your ingredients ready. Grate the apples last since they tend to discolor. 

2. In a non-stick frying pan add coconut, apple, and sugar, cook over medium heat, until the mixture start coming together, the apples get very tender and most of the moisture is absorbed. This should take about 10-12 minutes. Set a timer (like me) if you are not confident.

3. Add the cardamom powder and chopped walnuts and mix well. Now you will need to stir continuously  until the mix turns to the consistency of soft dough. You will notice that it gradually becomes harder to mix. You will see it leaving the sides of the pan and coming together in a ball. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Very carefully, pinch off a little of the mixture and try rolling it into a ball between your fingertips (caution: it will be HOT). If it comes together in a ball, it is the correct stage, Turn of the heat.

4. Place the hot mixture into greased plate/dish (I used a 8x8 square dish) and spread it evenly about 3/4-inch-thick in a square shape. Press the mixture with a greased spatula to make it firm. Sprinkle the pistachios and lightly press.

5. Let the burfi cool to room temperature. Make sharp cuts in the burfi to whatever shape or size you like. Cover the plate/dish with foil and let it set in the fridge completely for a few hours to hold its shape. 

6. Gently pry out the burfi and enjoy

Notes: 

• You can use any variety of sweet red apple that you like such as Fuji, Gala, Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, Cortland etc. 
• You can use frozen coconut if you don't have fresh. Just thaw it before using
• This burfi can be stored for 2 weeks in an airtight container

Cheers,

Megha