You might be surprised how few ingredients go into this beloved Indian sweet. Besan, ghee, sugar syrup, and a few spices come together as a rich, fragrant barfi, fudgy and melt-in-your-mouth soft. The secret to the best Besan Burfi is in the roasting and the syrup, and I'll show you both below.

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Besan barfi is the sweet I reach for first at Diwali: roasted gram flour cooked slowly in ghee, set with a sugar syrup, and scented with cardamom and saffron. The squares come out golden and fudgy; they hold well at room temperature, and they are always the first thing to disappear from the tray.

If you've made Besan Ladoo, the flavor will feel familiar. The difference is the syrup. Instead of powdered sugar, a one-string sugar syrup gives barfi its smooth, fudge-like bite. It's the one step that needs your full attention, so I've put it first, along with the checks I rely on.

How to make the Sugar syrup

Making a perfect one-string consistency sugar syrup or "Chasni" is key in this besan barfi recipe. Here are my tips for making perfect syrup every single time, and these tips will also come in handy for other desserts like Rava Ladoo, Balushahi, or other Indian sweets that use sugar syrup.

Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan. I use a 2-quart. In a smaller or thinner pan, the syrup may be ready sooner, so start checking early.
Simmer after the boil. Once the sugar dissolves and the syrup boils, lower the heat and simmer for [confirm: 5 to 7 minutes].
Test it by hand. Put a few drops on a plate and let them cool for a few seconds first. Press them between your thumb and index finger, then slowly pull apart. You want one sticky string.
Or test it with a thermometer. Dip it in without touching the bottom of the pan. It should read 220°F.

Besan burfi garnished with sliced nuts and edible flower petals.

Ingredient Notes

Besan - Use fine besan and sift it before roasting so you start lump-free.
Sooji - Just 2 tablespoons, for a slight grain against the smooth besan. If yours is coarse, grind it lightly in a blender or mortar first. Skip it entirely for a gluten-free barfi.
Ghee - This is where most of the flavor comes from, so use a good one, ideally homemade ghee. Melt the ghee before measuring for perfect texture.
Sugar - Granulated sugar only. I don't recommend swapping in honey or maple syrup, because the whole recipe depends on a sugar syrup reaching the one-string stage, and that's what sets the barfi.

How to make Besan Barfi

A stainless steel pan on an induction cooktop containing besan and ghee. — Add sooji and besan to melted ghee and roast on low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring constantly.

Crumbled besan mixture cooking in a stainless steel skillet on an induction cooktop. — The besan will look very crumbly in the beginning.

A stainless steel skillet on a black induction cooktop containing a dough. like, besan mixture. — Keep stirring and breaking the lumps with the spatula as you keep roasting.

Smooth Besan mixture cooking in a stainless steel pan on an induction cooktop with a metal spoon. — The mixture will slowly start to melt after 15 minutes or so.

A metal skillet with loose besan mixture and ground cardamom sprinkled on top. — Add cardamom,

A stainless steel pan with besan burfi mixture. — Mix well.

A saucepan containing water, white sugar, and scattered saffron threads. — Add water, sugar, and saffron to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar melts.

Saffron threads simmering in sugar syrup. — Once the syrup comes to a boil, lower the heat. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

A hand holds a digital thermometer in a saucepan of simmering sugar syrup. — To check the one-string consistency of the syrup, use a digital thermometer to make sure the syrup is at 220°F. Or put a few drops of syrup in a bowl and allow it to cool.

A thin, one string sugar consistency shown between two fingertips. — Then take the syrup between the index finger and thumb and open and close them gently a few times. It should be sticky and form a string between the fingers as you pull them apart.

A stainless steel skillet with roasted besan and sugar syrup. — Add the syrup to the warm besan mixture.

A stainless steel skillet with besan burfi mixture. — Mix it well.

Besan burfi batter on a parchment-lined square baking pan. — Pour the mixture onto the parchment-lined tray.

A square metal baking pan lined with parchment paper with besan burfi mixture spread evenly. — Spread evenly using a silicone spatula.

A square tray of besan burfi topped with chopped nuts and pistachios, lined with parchment paper. — Sprinkle nuts on top and gently press down with the silicone spatula.

A square baking pan containing besan burfi cut into sixteen squares and garnished with chopped nuts. — Allow the mixture to cool down and the burfi to set for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Cut the burfi into 16 pieces.

Storing & Gifting

Store barfi in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or refrigerate it to keep longer. Because it holds well at room temperature, it packs neatly into Diwali gift boxes and fits right in with the rest of your faral. It's also lovely with a cup of ginger chai.

Besan burfi garnished with almonds and pistachios.

Mom's Tips for Besan barfi

Buy fresh, good-quality besan and sift it before using.
Slowly roast the gram flour and ghee in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan for at least 3O to 35 minutes. The besan should not brown too much but instead become light and flowy. Keep stirring, as this recipe does require a bit of patience.
Make a perfect one-string consistency sugar syrup. If the sugar syrup is undercooked, barfi will not set. There are 2 options to fix this: 1. Cook the mixture again for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat and then spread it back on the baking tray. Or 2. Refrigerate the burfi for a few hours. The burfi may become chewy or more fudge-like, but it will still taste delicious.

A must-have sweet, especially during Diwali season, this besan barfi will complement your assortment of sweets and savories, AKA Faral. In Gujarat, a similar sweet dish called Magaz or Magas is popular. The recipe for Magas uses powdered sugar and a lot more ghee to make the fudgy squares.

★ Tried this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and let me know, or snap a quick pic and upload it-I love seeing your creations. If you're on Instagram, tag @ministry_of_curry so I can check it out. Your feedback means so much to me and makes all the time I spend perfecting each recipe totally worth it. Thank you!

Recipe

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4.78 from 9 votes

Besan Barfi

Rich, ghee-roasted besan barfi with sugar syrup and all of my mom's tips. A classic Indian sweet for Diwali, gifting, or anytime.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Cooling Time30

Total Time1 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 16 pieces

Calories: 172kcal

Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

Recipe Video

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups besan sifted (210 grams)
▢ 2 tablespoons fine sooji For gluten-free barfi, skip the sooji.
▢ ⅔ cup ghee
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Sugar syrup

▢ 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
▢ ½ cup water
▢ 1 pinch saffron

Garnish

▢ 2 tablespoons thinly sliced nuts

Instructions

Line an 8 x 8 tray with parchment paper.
Melt the ghee in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the sooji and besan, lower the heat, and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture is crumbly at first, so keep breaking up lumps with a spatula. After about 15 minutes, it starts to loosen. It's ready when it feels lighter and smells toasty.

Sometimes this step can take longer, so keep stirring on low heat, making sure that it does not get too brown.

Turn off the heat and stir in the cardamom.
While the besan is still warm, make the syrup. Combine the sugar, water, and saffron in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes, until the syrup reaches one-string consistency: 220°F on a thermometer (tip off the bottom of the pan), or one sticky string between your thumb and index finger when you pull apart a cooled drop.
Pour the syrup into the warm besan mixture and mix well. Spread it evenly in the tray with a silicone spatula, spread the nuts on top, and press them in gently.
Let the barfi set for 30 minutes to 2 hours, then cut into 16 pieces.

If the syrup was undercooked and the barfi doesn't set, re-cook the mixture on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes and re-spread it, or refrigerate for a few hours.

Nutrition

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