I always make barfi during festivals and for parties. Strawberry barfi is a gorgeous sweet for special occasions, such as weddings and festivals. It is also a popular gift to give to friends and family. I think this is the perfect last-minute sweet for Diwali or Eid. Absolutely everyone I’ve made it for loves it.
How to make barfi with ice cream
Unbelievable, isn’t it?! It’s so easy to prepare this barfi using strawberry ice cream. It’s a melt-and-mix operation that requires just 2 ingredients and 15 minutes of your time. A tub of shop-bought ice cream and milk powder is all you need. It really is the easiest barfi recipe in the world. Everyone will be asking you for the recipe and nobody will believe you when you tell them how you made it!
What is ice cream barfi?
Combine melted ice cream and whole milk powder and cook to make a sweet, thick mixture that sets like a fudge when cool. I first made this strawberry barfi when I was experimenting with my vanilla ice cream barfi and pistachio ice cream barfi recipes. It was part of this bonkers awesome test to see if barfi can be made out of basically any flavour of ice cream… Turns out it can. You see, the ice cream already contains all the ingredients you’d put in a traditional Indian barfi: milk or cream, sugar and fat. Now the possibilities are endless!
Variations of this Strawberry Barfi Recipe (2 Ingredients)
There are many variations of strawberry barfi you can try. Some of my favourite ideas include:
Cardamom strawberry barfi: To make cardamom strawberry barfi, simply add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom powder to the mixture. Rose strawberry barfi: To make rose strawberry barfi, simply add 1/4 teaspoon of rose water or rose essence to the mixture. Chocolate strawberry barfi: To make chocolate strawberry barfi, simply add a layer of melted dark, milk or white chocolate on top of the cooled and set barfi. Allow the chocolate to set before slicing. Pistachio strawberry barfi: To make pistachio strawberry barfi, simply add a handful of roughly-chopped pistachios to the mixture.
Popular styles of Barfi
The history of Indian sweets dates back centuries. The earliest known Indian sweets were made with honey and fruits. Over time, new ingredients, such as milk, sugar, and nuts, were introduced, and the variety of Indian sweets grew. Today, barfi is made with all kinds of traditional and modern flavours, from pistachio, mango and besan, to cookie dough, birthday cake, peanut butter and chocolate.
The best way to store Barfi
Store barfi inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. If you need to store the barfi for longer, pack it into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week. Note that the barfi can dry out the longer it is kept in the fridge. Freeze barfi in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Defrost at room temperature. Note: Home freezing may affect the texture of the barfi slightly.
How to make vegan barfi
This barfi recipe isn’t easily veganized. Whilst vegan ice creams are available, the milk powder is tricky to substitute. You could try a combination of soy milk powder and desiccated coconut but this isn’t something I’ve personally tried. If you have any success in making vegan barfi, leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.
How to make gluten-free barfi
This barfi recipe is suitable for a gluten free diet provided the ice cream you use is gluten free too. Any milk powder you choose should be certified gluten free. Check the packaging. Be mindful that milk powder may be produced in a factory where cross contamination can occur.
Ingredients for this Strawberry Barfi Recipe (2 Ingredients)
Strawberry ice cream or gelato – try to choose a brand with a short list of ingredients Full-fat (whole) milk powder – this must be full fat milk powder, not skimmed milk powder Optional add in and decoration – drop of pink food colour (to enhance pink colour), edible dried rose petals and/or edible gold leaf
Step-by-step instructions for Strawberry Barfi (2 Ingredient!)
1. Melt the strawberry ice cream
Over a medium-low heat, gently melt the strawberry ice cream in a non-stick pan. There’s no need to bring it to the boil, the ice cream just needs to be fully melted and warm.
2. Add milk powder to the ice cream
Once the ice cream has melted, tip the milk powder in. Stir well until fully incorporated. Beat with a wooden spoon to help it come together in one mass. Some lumps are fine.
3. Cook the strawberry barfi mixture out
Keep the mixture over a medium-low heat and stir vigorously for 15 minutes. Do not stop stirring the barfi mixture or it may catch and burn at the base of the pan. If you notice brown streaks or flecks developing, lower the heat and continue to stir thoroughly. After a total of 15 minutes, the strawberry barfi should begin to resemble mashed potato and come together as a ball. This means it’s ready. Switch the heat off and stir in any food colour (if using). Be sure to mix it in thoroughly.
4. Set the strawberry barfi in a tin
Immediately press the mixture into a greased L30 x W20 x D5cm (13″x9″) rectangular or 10″x10″ square tin (pan).
5. Decorate (optional step)
Finally, decorate with edible dried rose petals and/or edible gold leaf.
Strawberry Barfi Recipe (2 Ingredients) | How to make Strawberry Barfi
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Store barfi inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.If you need to store the barfi for longer, pack it into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week. Note that the barfi can dry out the longer it is kept in the fridge.Freeze barfi in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Defrost at room temperature. Freezing may affect the texture of the barfi slightly.Use any flavour ice cream you like for making ice cream barfi. I’ve made it with vanilla, pistachio and strawberry. The fewer ingredients listed on the packaging, the better. Try to go for something without a great deal of ingredients listed.Add a drop of pink food colour (optional) to intensify the colour of the barfi.Decorate with edible rose petals, sprinkles, nuts, edible gold or silver leaf (foil), or leave plain.
This plain milk powder burfi is the Indian sweet recipe my followers request the most. I think White Burfi has such a simple charm and universal appeal. It has true pistachio flavours (not just food colour or pistachio essence) and of course, gold and silver leaf on top. Perfect for gifting. Your family and friends will love it! Here’s an entirely foolproof recipe that delivers amazing results every time. I created this recipe using my favourite eggless cupcake recipe and it’s always a hit at parties. Layers of cardamom burfi, classic chocolate chip cookie dough and milk chocolate combined to create the wickedest chocolate burfi you’ll ever experience. Enjoy as a square or as a hot fudge-like pudding with ice cream. It is adapted from my Perfect Plain White Burfi recipe and it’s completely foolproof. Each square of burfi is perfectly crumbly and melts in the mouth. Indian sweets have never been so simple! Laced with ground cardamom and vanilla extract, floral undertones are created beneath a creamy layer of white chocolate. As soon as you take a bite, the fudge begins to melt on your tongue and a burst of subtle flavours take over. Bliss. Layer up the flavours, set and cut into large squares. Sanjana Share this recipe
