Diwali is all about celebrating, decorating your house, dressing up and of course, making and feasting on a lot of delicious food and traditional mithai (Indian sweets)! Instagram is stormed with Diwali mithai preparations as Diwali isn’t complete without the mithai... everyone is busy making and sharing pictures of their Diwali mithais. But for me, my family and I have been off sweets for a few months now and was wondering how I can create something healthier and share the Diwali festivities with my family without indulging in sugar and piling on too many calories.
I solved my predicament by creating this amazing Diwali burfi - a Dates Almond and Chocolate Pistachio burfi infused with rose water! It’s totally sugar free, but honest to goodness my family and I didn’t even miss the typical assortment of sweets that are laden with sugar! This was sooo delicious and absolutely melted in your mouth, popping a new patakha (firework) of flavour as you eat it! And somehow this totally different and healthy recipe perfectly encapsulates the warmth and the spirit of Diwali!
Indulge yourself this Diwali into something which is totally sugar-free, gluten-free and a vegan mithai which is much more healthier, nutritious and festive at the same time!! Happy Diwali!
PREP TIME: 15minutes
MAKING TIME: 15 minutes
PASSIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
YIELDS: 16
INGREDIENTS
For Dates Layer
250g madjool dates, pitted
100g dark chocolate buttons or chopped chocolate bar
100g rolled oats or oats flour(coarse)
2-3 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
3 tbsp/ 50g almond butter
50g pistachios
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp dalt
3 tsp rose water
For Almond Layer:
1 1/4 cup almond powder
3 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tbsp almond milk
1/4 tsp almond essence
For Chocolate Layer:
150g dark chocolate buttons/ chopped block
3 tbsp virgin coconut oil
For Ganishing:
20 gm pistachios, roughly chopped
Dried rose petals
Equipment needed:
8”x8” square baking pan about 2 inch high (I used the loose bottom pan)
METHOD
Soak dates in hot water for 10 minutes. Keep aside.
In a blender, coarsely grind the rolled oats. Keep aside.
Drain water from the dates, blend to a fine paste. Add ground oats, almond butter and salt; blend for a minute until just well combined. Now add chocolate buttons, vanilla and rose water and give a quick blend. You will see the chocolate slightly melting, which is good.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Now taste your mixture and if you find your mixture is not wet and sweet enough, add the maple syrup else you can skip it. Add pistachios and mix well.
For almond layer, sift the almond powder, add almond essence, maple syrup and mix with a spatula.
Now line the bottom and sides of pan with baking paper, pour the dates mixture at the bottom, spread evenly and press it gently with the help of spatula. Now pour the almond mixer on top and spread it evenly with the off set knife or a spatula. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Just before removing from refrigerate, make the chocolate layer. Pour chocolate button and coconut oil in a heat-proof bowl, microwave it for 30 seconds, mix with rubber spatula and heat again for 20 seconds. Gently mix and heat for another 20 seconds until your chocolate is melted and glossy.
Now remove the pan from refrigerate, pour the melted chocolate on top, quickly spread it with offset knife and sprinkle the pistachios and rose petal on top. Let it set for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
Push the set burfi out of the pan and cut it into slices.
If you are not using the loose bottom pan, slice it into 16 squares with the sharp knife and gently remove pieces from the pan. Serve at room temperature.
COOK'S NOTES
Add the maple syrup to the dates layer only if you find your mixture is not soft and sweet enough.
Maple syrup can be replaced with agave syrup as well.
When you are spreading the chocolate you need to be swift in spreading else your chocolate will set and you will not be able to stick your garnish on top. As soon as you spread the chocolate quickly sprinkle the chopped pistachios and dried rosemary petals on top and let it set.
I used loose bottom square pan, you can also make it in ordinary pan but make sure you line it with parchment paper to release it easily from the bottom and sides.
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