Indian sweets/ desserts are usually very rich and decadent. Like this Bengali malpua, gulab jamun cake and churme ka ladoo. Here, I have a date and nut burfi recipe that has no added sugar. This is a quick and easy to make dessert that needs about 15~20 minutes of hands on time. Recipe is adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor’s Sweet temptations cookbook. This recipe uses dates, dried figs and your choice of mixed nuts. The resulting fruit and nut bars are fudgy, rich and absolutely delicious. The sweetness in the recipe comes from dried figs and dates. So, these are perfect no sugar fudge bars that are fancy enough to be given as edible gift during the holidays. I made these as part of my Diwali treats along with khara boondi and urad dal murukku. These are a great take on popular Indian Anjeer burfi. All in all this khajur anjeer burfi is a yummy snack and is perfect treat for any occasion.
Dates - Medjool or Deglet noor dates are the best to use because they are soft, inherently sweet and delicious. Dried figs - buy unsulphured and unsweetened for the best flavor. Mixed Nuts - I used unsalted, unroasted cashews, almonds and pistachios in this recipe. But feel free to use any combination of your favorite nuts. Keep the total quantity to about ½ cup. Feel free to use ground nuts instead of whole. I used almond flour/ meal since I ran out of almonds. Ghee or butter or oil
Instructions
Start by soaking the dried fruit. If you plan ahead, then soak them in regular room temperature water for 2~3 hours. If you don’t, then soak them in hot water for 20~30 minutes. Drain the water and grind them to a smooth paste adding little water. Melt ghee or oil in a medium size nonstick pan on medium heat. Add the ground dry fruit puree and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture dries out about 10~15 minutes. Stir in the nuts and mix well to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 5~8 minutes or until the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan. Remove the mixture into a greased plate or tin and sprinkle with more chopped nuts, if desired. Set aside to cool. Cut into squares or diamonds when completely cooled. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freeze them for up to 2 months.
Tips
If you don’t like the combination of fig and nut bars, then substitute dried figs with dried prunes. Or simply use more dates in the recipe.If you plan ahead, then you can soak the dried fruit in room temperature water for 3~4 hours.You can grind the nuts instead of chopping them. This would give a smooth texture to the burfi.Use any of your favorite mix of nuts in the recipe. Make sure that the total quantity is about ½ cup.Bars set up considerably as they cool. If they do not, chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.Add ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom to add more flavor to this fruit and nut fudge.
More recipes using dried fruit and nuts to try
Here are a few more sweet and savory dishes made with dates and nuts:
Date and walnut cakeEggless Christmas plum cakeCranberry Pistachio Cream SconesSheer KurmaEggless Fruit & Nut CakeQuinoa Salad with pistachios and dates
