Pumpkin Besan Burfi

I’ve been on a pumpkin binge for the past couple of weeks, which means I always have pumpkin puree leftover. But instead of the usual muffins, pumpkin donuts, or bread rolls, I wanted to make something with Diwali in mind. Since the sweet, gooey burfi is a staple around the house this time of the year, I decided to give it a Tasha twist and make Pumpkin Besan Burfi. 

I am a big advocate of making mithai at home. It lets me control the ingredients and is unquestionably healthier than the store-bought version. With these mellow and delicious pumpkin besan burfis, I hit the jackpot. 

If you’re worried about the flavor of pumpkin coming through, don’t be. Much to the bliss of my kids who’ve taken to repeating, “This has pumpkin, too?” you can’t taste the fruit. So, they had no qualms digging into the burfis. 

The pumpkin simply adds a layer of texture to the already incredibly fudgy confectionery making it the quintessential treat for a special occasion or end the day on a sweet note.

How to make pumpkin besan burfi?

The recipe requires basic five ingredients, and it is easy to make but it is time-consuming. You can’t hurry up burfi if you want the perfect nutty aroma and brown hue. 

Begin by roasting besan (chickpeas flour) on low heat till it reaches a warm brown color, and you start getting that whiff of fragrance. It’ll take a good 10 to 12 minutes. 

I fancy a really dark brown hue in my burfis and ladoos because it makes the texture fudgier. But you can stop roasting as soon as the light brown-reddish shade appears. 

Quick note:

Just remember to keep stirring the chickpea flour, so it’s evenly roasted. I recommend listening to some music while you’re at it but don’t get busy scrolling down your phone. You have to keep an eye on the flour, or it will get burnt.

When the flour is done, add in milk, pumpkin puree, and ghee. I used a full cup of milk. Along with pumpkin puree, it made the burfi incredibly moist. FYI, you can find the recipe for making pumpkin puree on my vegan pumpkin donut blog.

Roast again for a good 8 to 10 minutes on low heat. It will require some elbow grease on your part so please keep stirring the mixture continuously till you have a homogenized blob. 

Don't worry, your arm workout is soon to be rewarded!

Shaping the pumpkin besan burfi

Once you see the ghee separating from the mixture, take it off the heat. Add sugar and cardamom powder and mix. 

I am keeping my bakes and treats free of refined sugar as much as possible. So, I dipped into the packet of palm sugar I bought some time back. If you use regular white sugar, make sure to pulse it into powder.

When all the ingredients are well mixed, spread them on a liberally greased tray. Sprinkle some roughly chopped pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and melon seeds to garnish. Top it off with vark – edible silver leaf – and you’re done!

Variations of besan burfi

The pumpkin besan burfi is gluten-free and refined-sugar-free. You can make it vegan, too, by using coconut milk or any plant-based milk and coconut oil instead of ghee.

My household loves mithai that are just sweet enough, not cloyingly so. If you’d like to indulge in something sweeter, I recommend a taste test. Once the sugar is mixed into the burfi base, check if it is adequately sweetened for you. Toss in some more if that’s where your taste lies. 

You can make the burfi without pumpkin puree, use this basic besan besan burfi recipe. For those, who rather have ladoos grace their tables during festivities, try these besan ladoos. 

Serving the pumpkin besan burfi

The beauty of pumpkin puree is that it gives the burfi a mild earthiness. Combined with the milk, it helps set and hold the sweets exceptionally well. It means after the mixture has cooled a bit, you cut it into any shape without any hassle. 

Though I hope you'll do a better job of cutting these into neat squares. I somehow always manage to fumble here!

Serve them as desserts after dinner or something sweet at any time of the day. They melt in the mouth from the very first bite, making them deliciously addictive.

My batch disappeared sooner than I wanted – we just couldn’t stop munching on them. If yours lasts longer, then I advise refrigerating them because they contain milk and pumpkin puree. Just bring them to room temperature before serving.

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