Easy Malai Barfi with Condensed Milk – Dassana’s Veg Recipes

This instant Malai Barfi recipe is an easy Indian sweet made with cream, paneer and sweetened condensed milk. Flavored with saffron, cardamom and rose water, this rich milk-based fudge comes together in about 15 minutes of cooking and is perfect for festivals and special occasions.

About Malai Barfi

Malai Barfi is a rich and delicious Indian milk sweet known for its creamy taste and slightly grainy, soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

The word “malai” refers to the layer of cream that naturally forms on milk and contributes to the rich character of many traditional milk-based sweets.

Traditional Malai Barfi recipes vary from region to region. Some are made by slowly simmering full-fat milk for hours until it thickens and develops a rich, creamy texture, with layers of clotted cream (malai) forming during the process, while others use Khoya (Mawa) and cream for a quicker preparation.

This instant version delivers a similar rich, creamy taste and soft texture with condensed milk, fresh cream and paneer, while significantly reducing the cooking time.

Key Ingredients

1. Sweetened condensed milk. It is one of the key ingredients in this recipe. In many quick barfi recipes, khoya (mawa) is used to provide richness and milk solids. Here, condensed milk acts as a convenient substitute for khoya while also adding sweetness and helping the mixture bind together. Since condensed milk already contains sugar, there is no need to add any extra sugar.

2. Paneer: Soft and moist paneer lends a light graininess and body to the barfi, giving it a texture closer to traditional milk-based sweets.

3. Fresh cream: It adds richness, creaminess and helps create the characteristic malai flavor. Together, these ingredients create a soft, rich and creamy burfi without the hours of simmering and stirring required in traditional recipes.

4: Flavorings: The barfi is delicately flavored with saffron, cardamom and rose water, which complement the milky flavors beautifully. A garnish of pistachios and almonds adds a pleasant crunch and makes the sweet look festive.

This malai barfi recipe is especially useful during festivals, celebrations and festive gifting when you want to prepare a homemade sweet without spending hours in the kitchen. You can also easily scale up the recipe to make more servings.

The barfi mixture takes only about 12 to 15 minutes to cook and is then spread in a tray to set. Once firm, you can slice it into squares, diamonds or rectangles. You can also shape the mixture into small pedas or ladoos and serve them as Malai Peda or Malai Ladoo.

Store the malai barfi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

More Popular Barfi Recipes

How to make Malai barfi (Stepwise)

Mix & Cook

1. Before you begin, spread or brush ½ to 1 teaspoon ghee on a small tray or plate. You can also line with parchment paper.

Take 200 grams sweetened condensed milk (about ¾ cup), ½ cup cream (25% to 35% fat) and 100 grams grated paneer in a thick-bottomed pan.

2. Mix well first, then place the pan on the stovetop. Keep the heat low.

3. Begin to cook the mixture, stirring often.

4. Continue to stir so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom or sides of the pan. It will slowly begin to thicken.

5. After about 8 to 10 minutes, the mixture will start leaving the sides of the pan and come together like a soft mass.

At this stage, add a pinch of saffron strands and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder.

Note: The cooking time will vary depending on the size and quality of the pan and the heat intensity.

6. After the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, continue cooking for just 1 to 2 minutes more. Do not overcook, as the texture can become dense and chewy after cooling.

Turn off the heat.

7. Add rose water.

8. Mix well.

Make Malai Barfi

9. Immediately transfer the mixture to a tray greased with the ghee. Spread it evenly with a spatula.

Sprinkle chopped pistachios and almonds on top. Press the nuts gently so that they stick to the surface.

Note that the pistachios and almonds have been blanched and peeled. See the recipe notes below for details.

10. Let the malai burfi cool completely. Once set, slice into squares, diamonds or rectangles.

11. Serve instant Malai Barfi right away or refrigerate in an airtight container. It keeps well for about a week.

Helpful Tips

1. Paneer: Use fresh homemade paneer or good-quality store-bought paneer. The paneer should be soft and moist. You can also use fresh Chenna, but make sure any excess whey or liquids are drained well before using. If using refrigerated paneer, bring it to room temperature before adding it to the recipe.
2. Grating paneer: Finely grate the paneer so that it blends smoothly into the mixture and gives an even texture. Avoid crumbling it, as larger bits of paneer can result in a slightly uneven texture.
3. Cream: I used Amul Fresh Cream (25% fat) in this recipe. You can use any fresh cream with 25% fat or higher. Creams with a higher fat content will give a richer and creamier malai barfi.
4. Continuous stirring: Stir regularly while cooking so that the mixture cooks evenly and does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
5. Do not overcook: Once the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and comes together as a mass, cook only for another 1 to 2 minutes. Overcooking can make the barfi dense, chewy and slightly hard after cooling.
6. Rose water: Add rose water after switching off the heat or at the final stage of cooking to retain its delicate aroma.
7. Nuts: You can use pistachios, almonds, cashews or a mix of your favorite nuts for garnish.
8. Slicing: Allow the barfi to cool completely at room temperature, before cutting into neat pieces.