Diwali special recipe: Whip up chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s chocolate burfi with just 4 simple ingredients

This festive season, add a modern twist to traditional mithai with chef Sanjeev Kapoor's chocolate burfi. Save his simple dessert recipe for Diwali weekend.

With Diwali right around the corner this weekend, households across the country are gearing up for late-night gatherings, family visits, and sweet exchanges. However, between cleaning and decorating homes and shopping for gifts, finding time to make traditional mithai (festive sweets) can feel daunting.

If you find yourself hunting for a hassle-free, last-minute Diwali dessert that balances festive charm with modern taste, chef Sanjeev Kapoor has the perfect solution. Shared on his official YouTube channel, Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana, in October 2024, this easy-to-make chocolate burfi brings a contemporary twist to the classic rich burfi.

Designed specifically for busy home cooks, the recipe features standard pantry staples, requires minimal active cooking time, and delivers a two-tiered sweet treat that looks like it came straight from an artisanal sweet shop.

Ingredients

Mawa (Khoya): 3 cups, grated

Sugar:½ cup

Cocoa powder: 3 tablespoons

Ghee: a small amount for greasing

Silver varq: for garnish

Method

1. Grease a shallow tray evenly with a little bit of ghee and set it aside.

2. Place the grated mawa into a thick-bottomed non-stick pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it melts completely into a thick, smooth, sauce-like consistency. Take care not to let the mawa brown or take on any color.

3. Add the sugar to the pan. Keep stirring steadily until the sugar completely dissolves and combines seamlessly with the cooked mawa.

4. Remove exactly half of the hot mawa mixture from the pan and pour it directly onto your prepared greased tray. To settle the mixture evenly without needing a spatula, hold the tray firmly from two sides and gently tap it against a sturdy surface 2 to 3 times. Set the tray aside to cool.

5. Keep the remaining half of the mawa mixture in the pan over low heat. Sprinkle in the 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and mix thoroughly until completely smooth and uniformly chocolate-brown.

6. Carefully pour the warm cocoa mixture over the cooled white mawa layer. Allow the tray to cool down completely to room temperature so the layers set firmly. Once set, decorate the top with edible silver varq, slice into clean diamond or square pieces, and serve.

Whether you are hosting guests at short notice or simply want to surprise your family with a fusion delight, chef Sanjeev Kapoor's straightforward recipe proves that festival-ready sweets do not need hours in the kitchen to taste exceptional.