Basundi

Basundi is a traditional Indian milk dessert or sweet that is perfect after a spicy Indian meal. This Indian sweet is creamy, rich, and prepared with only the main 3 ingredients. It is prepared without condensed milk and is the ultimate end to a meal.

Indian milk-based desserts are amongst the favourites in our house. Throughout the year, creamy milk-based sweets are always on the menu! Some desserts we love are:

Kheer – Indian-style rice pudding. (Instant pot and stovetop method)

Doodh paak – Gujarati style rice pudding

Doodh Poha kheer – (Instant pot method)

Basundi is a milk or dairy-based Indian dessert or sweet prepared during big Indian festivals like Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Raksha Bandhan or Gudi Padwa (Hindu New Year).

This scrumptious sweet is made with thick sweetened milk, flavoured with sweet and warm spices like cardamom or saffron and topped with nuts like pistachio, almonds, and cashews.

Basundi is hugely popular in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka – western states of India with slight variations.

Traditional Gujarati Basundi is made using whole milk and sugar by simmering on low heat until it reduces by a third, then flavoured with cardamom and topped with slivered nuts.

We always serve Basundi chilled topped with lots of nuts, edible rose petals along with hot pooris as part of a Gujarati thali .

The original basundi recipe is made without adding khoya, milk powder, evaporated milk, cornflour, or custard powder.

You can use these ingredients if pressed for time, then it will be called INSTANT or QUICK BASUNDI RECIPE.

I have also prepared dudhi basundi using fresh grated dudhi.

Ingredients

Milk – we will need whole milk for rich and creamy basundi.

Double/Heavy Cream – In the UK whole milk comes with only 3.7% fat, thus we do add double cream to our milk-based recipe for a rich and creamier texture.

Sugar – for the white or off-white Basundi colour we will need regular granulated sugar. Adjust the quantity of sugar in the recipe according to your taste or how sweet you prefer.

Flavouring – for most Indian sweets, cardamom is necessary as it does not only enhance the flavour of the dish but helps digest rich food.

Nuts – Basundi looks regal once it is garnished with slivered nuts, use almond, pistachio.

Notes –

If you can find whole milk that is with more than 5-6% fat, you can skip the cream.

Our readers in the USA can use half and half milk for the Basundi recipe.

If you are using demerara or any other brown sugar, the colour and taste of Basundi will change.

Tips

Type of pan – always cook milk in a heavy bottom/based pan or Kadai. There is less chance of sticking milk on the bottom of the pan. Use a pan that has a wide mouth.

Before your pour the milk in, wash inside with clean water. This step reduces chances of milk sticking and burning on the pan.

Medium to low hea t – always simmer on low to medium heat.

Stirring constantly – when you work with milk-based recipes it is very important to give all the attention.

Once basundi is done, keep stirring next 5-8 minutes to prevent any film settling also cover it using a muslin cloth rather than closing the lid. The steam will escape from the tiny holes from the cloth and a film won’t form.

Serving chilled – Basundi will thicken once it cools down. Keep in the refrigerator to chill for a couple of hours before serving.

Serving Suggestion

Basundi is an Indian dessert, however, it is usually served along with the meal with the rest of the side dishes such as curry, daal, rice, bateta vada and eaten with Indian flatbread poori .

It is usually made during festivals such as Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Bhai Dooj, Gudi Padwa, or on special occasions.

Basundi is also seen on the Gujarati wedding menus, also can be taken as a dessert during the fasting period like Navratri or can be served with farali poori .

Storage

Basundi keeps well for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Once it cools down completely, put it in the airtight container and store it in the fridge away from strong smells.

Method

Get the exact measurement and complete ingredients list in metric and imperial from the recipe card below.

1. Pour the milk in a heavy bottom pan or kadai. Keep the heat on medium.

2. Bring milk to boil, as it starts to boil turn the heat down. Keep stirring constantly . Do stir and cook, scrape sides and bottom of the pan to prevent any burning or scorching. Keep gas flame low-medium

3. Whilst simmering, you can see a thin film of milk skin on the surface, mix it with a spoon in the milk as you are stirring.

If you like you may add some slivered nuts at this time too.

4. Once the milk is reduced to 1/3 add sugar and mix well.

5. Add cardamom powder and let it simmer for 6-8 minutes more.

6. Turn off the heat, but keep stirring for 5 minutes more to prevent the film from settling on the surface.

7. Add cream if using.

8. Allow it to cool completely then chill in the refrigerator before serving.

Other Indian Dessert Recipes

1. Mango peda

2. Shahi tukda

3. Chocolate and peanut butter kala jamun

4. Cashew Caramel Modak

5. Beetroot Kalakand

BASUNDI RECIPE

Ingredients

• 12 cup whole milk
• 2 cup double/heavy cream
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp. cardamom powder
• 4 tbsp. almond and pistachio slivers

Instructions

• Firstly, rinse a heavy-bottomed pan with tap water and then pour in the milk.
• Heat the milk gently over a medium flame whilst continuously stirring. When stirring, ensure you keep stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
• The milk will eventually begin to reduce and thicken.
• At this point, add your slivered nuts and ground cardamom.
• Add your sugar and continue cooking. The sugar will release moisture and temporarily thin out the milk but it will thicken.
• Once you have achieved the correct consistency, keep stirring the milk every so often as it cools.
• Add double/heavy cream and cook further 2-3 minutes.
• Cover the pan and leave it aside to cool completely.
• Once cooled, chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

BASUNDI RECIPE

Ingredients

• 12 cup whole milk
• 2 cup double/heavy cream
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp. cardamom powder
• 4 tbsp. almond and pistachio slivers

Instructions

• Firstly, rinse a heavy-bottomed pan with tap water and then pour in the milk.
• Heat the milk gently over a medium flame whilst continuously stirring. When stirring, ensure you keep stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
• The milk will eventually begin to reduce and thicken.
• At this point, add your slivered nuts and ground cardamom.
• Add your sugar and continue cooking. The sugar will release moisture and temporarily thin out the milk but it will thicken.
• Once you have achieved the correct consistency, keep stirring the milk every so often as it cools.
• Add double/heavy cream and cook further 2-3 minutes.
• Cover the pan and leave it aside to cool completely.
• Once cooled, chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Almond Butter Barfi is combined with the crunch of a biscuit base and a smooth creamy chocolate topping to create the ultimate Indian fusion sweet, Almond Butter Barfi Millionaire Bars. The decadent middle layer is made of a plain white milk powder barfi that has raw almond butter mixed through.

MILLIONAIRES ALMOND BUTTER BARFI BARS

WHY SHOULD YOU MAKE MILK POWDER BARFI BARS?

ABOUT ALMOND BUTTER BARFI

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND BUTTER BARFI BARS

How to make Homemade Almond Butter in your food processor or blender

How to blanch almonds?

HOW TO MAKE DIGESTIVE BISCUIT BASE

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND BUTTER BARFI

HOW TO MAKE WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST MILK BARFI RECIPE

PRO TIPS FOR MILK POWDER BARFI BARS

RECIPE VARIATION

ALMOND BUTTER BARFI BARS | MILK POWDER BARFI BARS

Ingredients

• 16 digestive biscuits
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1 tablespoon ground almond
• 2 cup full-fat milk powder
• 1 cup whole milk + 3 tablespoon
• 3 teaspoon melted ghee
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon almond butter
• 2 tablespoon ground almond
• Pinch cardamom powder
• 300 grams white cooking chocolate
• ⅔ cup double/heavy cream
• Silver edible foil /varq
• Fresh edible flower petals

Instructions

• First, prepare the cake tin. Spray and lined an 8×7 inches cake tin with parchment paper.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/356F or gas mark 4.
• Crush the biscuits in a food processor to form into crumbs.
• In a mixing bowl, mix biscuits, ground almonds, and melted butter.
• Combine well then transferred in the lined cake tin.
• Bake for 7-8 minutes, remove and let it cool at room temperature then keep it in the refrigerator until you need it.
• In a bowl or plate take milk powder, add ghee and milk.
• Mix with your fingertips or spoon and let it rest for a while. This step will create danedar or flaky barfi.
• In a kadai or nonstick pan, mix milk and sugar.
• Bring it to a boil and let it simmer on low heat till it goes thicker like condensed milk.
• While you are making milk chashni, dry roast milk powder in another pan for a couple of minutes.
• Add roasted milk powder, and mix.
• Keep the heat low and cook the mixture, keep stirring all the time.
• Once the mixture starts coming together add almond butter and ground almonds.
• Further, cook for a couple of minutes, add cardamom powder.
• When the barfi mixture starts leaving the edge of the pan, turn off the heat.
• Remove pan from the heat, pour all the mixture on top of the biscuit base.
• Smooth out the barfi layer using a spatula. Leave it aside to set on your kitchen worktop for at least 2-3 hours. The longer the better.
• Chop the white chocolate before adding to the bain-marie – it will meltdown so much faster.
• Make a bain-marie by heating water in a saucepan. Place a shatterproof bowl over the saucepan so that the sides fit snuggly but does not sit all the way in the saucepan. Ensure the bowl is not touching the water.
• Stir the mixture and allow chocolate to melt completely with cream and come to pouring consistency.
• Remove the bowl, leave it to cool just enough so you can touch it with your fingers.
• Mix once again.
• Then pour on set and cooled barfi layer, and let it set in a cool place or refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight.
• Cut into barfi bars using a very sharp knife.
• Garnish with silver edible foil, fresh flowers, or slivered nuts.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.