Kaju Barfiकाजू बर्फी
Video: Hebbars Kitchen (YouTube)
Kaju Barfi is the crown jewel of Indian mithai, gifted at Diwali and weddings in every household from Lucknow to London. Made in the halwai tradition, this recipe yields silky-smooth, melt-in-mouth cashew diamonds that rival the finest sweetshop. The secret lies in grinding raw cashews to a velvet-fine powder and cooking the paste to exactly the right one-string consistency — neither sticky nor crumbly. Finished with a whisper of edible silver varak, each diamond is as beautiful to look at as it is to eat.
📍 Make it in Plano
This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.
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Ingredients
- ▪Raw cashews, unsalted250 g (2 cups)
- ▪Sugar150 g (¾ cup)
- ▪Water80 ml (⅓ cup)
- ▪Ghee, for greasing1 tsp
- ▪Green cardamom powder¼ tsp
- ▪Rose water1 tsp
- ▪Edible silver leaf (varak)8–10 sheets
- ▪Milk powder (optional, for extra richness)2 tbsp
- Outside India, edible silver varak can be hard to source — substitute with a light dusting of edible gold or silver lustre dust, or simply press a single thin pistachio sliver into each diamond before it sets for a naturally beautiful finish.
- Rose water can be swapped for ¼ tsp kewra (screwpine) essence, or omitted entirely for a purer cashew flavour that lets the nut shine through.
- The recipe is naturally dairy-free apart from the optional milk powder — for a vegan version, simply skip the milk powder and ensure your varak is synthetic (plant-based) rather than traditional beaten silver.
Method
- 1Grind the raw cashews in a dry mixer-grinder in short 3-second pulses until you have a very fine, lump-free powder. Do not over-process or the natural oils will release and the powder will turn into a paste before you want it to.
- 2Combine sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed kadai or non-stick pan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar fully dissolves, then stop stirring and cook undisturbed to a single-string (one-thread) consistency — dip a spoon, touch a drop between thumb and forefinger, pull apart slowly: a single fine thread must form and hold without breaking. This takes 5–6 minutes.
- 3Reduce heat to the lowest setting. Add the cashew powder (and milk powder if using) to the syrup all at once. Stir vigorously and continuously with a silicone spatula to prevent lumps. Stir in rose water and cardamom powder.
- 4Cook on very low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the sides, for 8–10 minutes. The mixture is ready when it pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pan, gathers into a soft ball that is not sticky, and a small piece rolled between your fingers holds its shape without crumbling or cracking.
- 5Remove from heat immediately and transfer to a sheet of parchment paper lightly greased with ghee. Allow to cool for 2–3 minutes until warm and handleable but still pliable.
- 6Place a second greased sheet of parchment on top. Roll the mixture evenly to about 6 mm (¼ inch) thickness using a rolling pin. Work swiftly — the mixture stiffens as it cools.
- 7Peel back the top parchment. Lay sheets of edible silver varak gently on the surface and press very lightly with a soft brush or the back of a spoon to adhere. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, until the slab is firm to the touch.
- 8Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, make parallel diagonal cuts 3–4 cm apart, then cross-cut at the opposite angle to create classic diamond (rhombus) shapes. Lift each diamond cleanly with a flat offset spatula. Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.