2 layers of the finest crumbly barfi make this indulgent Chocolate Pistachio Barfi. A thick, crumbly pistachio layer is topped with a decadent chocolate barfi made using cocoa powder. Every bite has that signature mithai shop texture that I absolutely love!
One bite, and celebration mode is on!
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published November 2018. I’ve added new images, the recipe remains the same.
This is one of those recipes that looks impressive on the table, but really isn’t too complicated to make. The perfect Indian fusion sweet , it’s rich, nutty, and the right mix of traditional and modern.
I’ve also got a layered chocolate barfi recipe that’s topped with melted chocolate that’s a bit more like the sweet shop-style ones.
The Recipe details
There’s something about pistachio and chocolate together that just feels timeless.
The pistachio layer is made from gently toasted, freshly ground pistachios. I don’t use pistachio paste or cream. I’ve tested that version, but found it tends to be too cloying and a little heavy. Using real pistachios gives a beautiful colour and that melt-in-the-mouth finish that only proper barfi has.
This recipe first appeared on the blog back in 2018 and it’s remained unchanged ever since, and while chocolate-pistachio everything seems to be trending again, this one’s an old favourite that’s stood the test of time. Think of it as a flavoured twist on the classic plain white barfi .
It’s perfect for festive occasions like Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan or Eid, or simply when you’re in the mood for something special.
Ingredients notes & tips
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
- Pistachio nuts – I use pistachios that are fresh, raw, unsalted and without the shell. Gently toasting first takes away the rawness and any moisture.
- Cocoa powder – 100% cocoa powder gives rich chocolate flavour to the barfi and a really intense colour.
- Milk Powder – I use full-fat milk powder, which is available in every Indian grocery shops and some supermarkets. I’ve used both supermarket brand (such as VB and sons) and Nestle Nido successfully. I like to roast the milk powder before adding directly to the barfi – it helps it become crumbly rather than smooth and sticky.
- Sugar – white granulated sugar.
- Whole milk and double cream – needed to make the milky sugar syrup.
- Spices – cardamom and nutmeg powder enhance the flavour of this barfi.
- Ghee – I use homemade ghee from butter for pretty much all of my recipes. The milk powder is gently toasted in a small amount of ghee.
- Garnishing – edible gold or silver leaf, some chopped pistachio nuts and rose petals. The piece de resistance of Indian occasion sweets!
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Chocolate Pistachio Barfi
Equipment
- 2 pan
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Baking tray square 20cm x 20cm
Ingredients
- 575 grams milk powder full cream (fat)
- 300 millilitres whole milk
- 300 millilitres cream
- 200 grams sugar
- 200 grams pistachios raw and unsalted
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder or nutmeg powder
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
Decoration (optional)
- edible silver or gold leaf
- slivered pistachio
- edible dried rose petals
Instructions
- Toast the pistachios in a pan for 2-3 minutes on low heat until aromatic. Do not allow the colour to change. Set aside then grind coarsely.
- Grease a tray with unflavoured oil or line with parchment and set it aside.
- Heat ghee and roast the milk powder on the lowest heat for 2-3 minutes. Do not allow the milk powder to change colour or burn. It will release a gentle aroma.
- In a separate pan, add milk, cream and sugar and bring it to a boil. Then reduce and gently simmer until it just thickens.
- Add the milk powder to the milk sugar syrup and cook gently until the mixture just starts forming a mass and leaves the sides of the pan.
- Remove approximately a quarter to a third of the barfi mixture so you can prepare the two separate layers.
- To the barfi mixture with the larger proportion, mix in the pistachios, cardamom and nutmeg powder and mix well.
- Set into the pre prepared tray and smooth out with a spatula.
- Working quickly, mix cocoa powder into the remaining mixture and set on top of the pistachio barfi layer. Smooth out with a spatula.
- Leave to set for a few hours.
- Once ready to cut, decorate with nuts and rose petals and edible silver leaf.
- *Cut using a sharp knife into equal sized squares.
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.
Chocolate Pistachio Barfi
Equipment
- 2 pan
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Baking tray square 20cm x 20cm
Ingredients
- 575 grams milk powder full cream (fat)
- 300 millilitres whole milk
- 300 millilitres cream
- 200 grams sugar
- 200 grams pistachios raw and unsalted
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder or nutmeg powder
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
Decoration (optional)
- edible silver or gold leaf
- slivered pistachio
- edible dried rose petals
Instructions
- Toast the pistachios in a pan for 2-3 minutes on low heat until aromatic. Do not allow the colour to change. Set aside then grind coarsely.
- Grease a tray with unflavoured oil or line with parchment and set it aside.
- Heat ghee and roast the milk powder on the lowest heat for 2-3 minutes. Do not allow the milk powder to change colour or burn. It will release a gentle aroma.
- In a separate pan, add milk, cream and sugar and bring it to a boil. Then reduce and gently simmer until it just thickens.
- Add the milk powder to the milk sugar syrup and cook gently until the mixture just starts forming a mass and leaves the sides of the pan.
- Remove approximately a quarter to a third of the barfi mixture so you can prepare the two separate layers.
- To the barfi mixture with the larger proportion, mix in the pistachios, cardamom and nutmeg powder and mix well.
- Set into the pre prepared tray and smooth out with a spatula.
- Working quickly, mix cocoa powder into the remaining mixture and set on top of the pistachio barfi layer. Smooth out with a spatula.
- Leave to set for a few hours.
- Once ready to cut, decorate with nuts and rose petals and edible silver leaf.
- *Cut using a sharp knife into equal sized squares.
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.
Magas – a traditional Gujarati sweet commonly made during Diwali and the winter months. My version follows an authentic Gujarati recipe that will give you the perfectly set, melt in the mouth texture.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published October 2013. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.
Magas is one of those classic Gujarati sweets that I instantly associate with Diwali. I clearly remember watching my Mum make this over the past few years. More recently, I’m around to give a helping hand.
It’s made with just three main ingredients – coarse chickpea flour, ghee, and powdered sugar but to get it perfect is all in the technique. I learned from her that slow, careful roasting and the right timing for adding sugar make all the difference.
Magas is similar, but has some key differences compared to Gujarati mohanthal . Mohanthal is made with a sugar syrup, whilst magas with powdered sugar. Also, mohanthal is flavoured with mace, magas simply with cardamom and nutmeg. Besan barfi is also a little different as it’s made with fine chickpea flour.
Recipe Details
Even though the ingredients are simple, getting the texture and flavour right can feel tricky.
I always make sure the flour is roasted until it reaches a warm terracotta colour, stirring constantly. This step is key to avoid any raw taste or bitterness. Once cooled slightly, I add the powdered sugar and spices like cardamom and nutmeg. By doing it while the mixture is just warm, I ensure it sets perfectly without becoming runny or too hard.
I also pay attention to the ghee. I learned from my mum that you can’t skimp here as the proper amount of ghee gives the magas its signature rich, melt-in-the-mouth texture. If you follow this method, you won’t run into common issues like crumbly, greasy, or too soft set magas.
We serve Magas during Diwali alongside savoury snacks like kenyan chevdo , ratlami sev , or farsi poori . They also fit beautifully into a Gujarati thali for festive meals. You can set the mixture in a tray to cut into squares, or roll it into magas ladoo for gifting.
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
- Magaj flour – this flour is basically coarse chickpea flour . It is easily available from Indian grocery stores in UK and USA. Some companies sell it as maghaj flour/magaz flour or ladu besan. If it is not available, you can try the following technique:
If you can’t find coarse chickpea flour, you can make coarse texture flour from regular besan (gram flour) . To shorten the flour add a spoon of warm milk and ghee in the flour. Mix it with your fingers, cover it and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then pass it through the medium hole size sieve to create a grainy texture, use this in the recipe.
Ghee – in this recipe, ghee plays a vital role and I recommend you do not reduce the amount of it if you want your magas to be perfect. I use homemade ghee but shop-bought works too.
Sugar – I specifically use caster sugar (powdered sugar) as it needs to be able to melt in the warm magas mixture. If you don’t have it, grind down regular granulated sugar in a food processor until fine. This is what I pretty much always do.
Spices – cardamom powder & nutmeg powder (nutmeg optional).
Nuts – Pistachio, almond slivers and dried edible rose petals for decoration (also optional).
Troubleshooting & Tips
Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks that really help:
- Toasting gram flour – it is crucial to take your time slow roasting the flour as this can make or break how well the magaj turns out. Keep the heat very low and keep stirring. The flour may brown quickly on high heat but will stay be raw and have bitterness. We want to achieve a terracotta colour.
- Mixture too soft – make sure the roasted flour is slightly warm, not cold, when adding sugar.
- Ghee separates – a little ghee settling at the top is ok, that is classic for magas so don’t worry!
- Setting issues – if it doesn’t set, add a little extra roasted flour and press again into the tray, or shape into ladoos.
Making magaj is one of those recipes where patience and attention pay off. By following these steps, and checking out the video below , you’ll get an authentic, traditional sweet just like my mum made.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Gujarati Magas (Magaj)
Equipment
- pan heavy based
- Spatula
- Baking tray 20cm x 20cm
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 500 gram coarse chickpea flour magaj flour
- 250 gram homemade ghee
- 250 gram powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- 2 tablespoon almond slivers
- 2 tablespoon pistachio slivers
- 2 teaspoon dried rose petals optional
Instructions
- In a heavy base wide mouth pan or kadai (non-stick pan will work too) heat 250 gram homemade ghee on low heat.
- Add 500 gram coarse chickpea flour
- Toast the flour till golden and fragrant. Make sure you keep the heat low all the time.
- Check the video for refrence. It can take at least 30-35 minutes.
- Once done, turn off the heat.
- Either transfer it into the another bowl or plate OR keep stirring the mixture for another 7-8 minutes in the same pan (make sure the heat is turned off).
- Once it is cool enough to touch, add 250 gram powdered sugar , mix well.
- Then add 1 teaspoon cardamom powder and ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder .
- Mix well, if you want set magas ( tharelo magas) then spoon it into a greased or lined baking tray.
- Sprinkle almond and pistachio slivers (if using).
- Let the magas set for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.
- Sprinkle rose petals (if using).
- Slice into square shapes using a sharp knife.
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.
