Today, I share my recipe for Thengai Burfi or Coconut Fudge. This sweet in not really fudge as it is known in the western world. Yet, that’s the closest I can come with an English word to describe the Indian Burfi. This burfi needs just three ingredients – fresh coconut, sugar and water. Cardamom and a touch of ghee, though not used traditionally, make it a little more special. Thengai Burfi or Coconut Fudge is one more sweet which is typical of Palakkad Iyer cuisine.
My home state of Kerala is really a land of coconut trees, not just ayurveda, Kathakali and backwaters. There still is some disagreement as to the origin of the name, but Kerala is thought to come from the words “Keram” and “Alam”. Keram, in vernacular means coconuts and Alam means land or territory. Even if this wasn’t true, the sheer abundance of coconut trees throughout the state supports the belief.
Not surprisingly, the coconut is important in Kerala cuisine irrespective of community or religion. The coconut and the tree features in most aspects of our lives, then and now. Coconut shells are fashioned into bowls, ladles and other items of utility or decoration. The husk is an excellent potting medium and used to make coir for ropes, baskets and mats.
Coconut flowers/ inflorescence are considered auspicious and used to decorate venues at traditional ceremonies including weddings. The buds yield a sweet liquid which is fermented to make toddy/ arrack (local alcoholic drink) and coconut vinegar.
Coconut leaves are woven into thatch roofs, mats, hand-held fans, fruit baskets, traditional umbrellas, brooms, etc. The wood of the coconut tree is very hardy and durable. It makes excellent furniture and is used as construction material.
Tender coconut water and the soft creamy flesh are particular favourites in our hot and humid summers. The coconut and coconut milk are used in traditional cooking. Coconut oil is the traditional cooking fat in Kerala cuisine. It is also an excellent hair and skin conditioner. Every Keralite knows and swears by the medicinal properties of virgin coconut oil. Ayurvedic practitioners have long used coconut oil extensively in Ayurveda for its medicinal and rejuvenating qualities.
A burfi is a squarish or diamond shaped bite sized Indian confection. There are hundreds of varieties of burfi made across India. Burfis are generally festive or celebratory fare and comes in a mind boggling variety of flavours and colours depending on which part of India one is in. Most of them feature making a thick sugar syrup which binds and sets the ingredients to a fudge like consistency.
Typically, this Burfi should be quite well set but not hard. The fresh coconut makes it quite juicy when eaten. You could try making it with dry unsweetened coconut, but I can’t guarantee good results. There is no substitute for fresh coconut in this recipe. Thengai Burfi or Coconut Fudge is traditionally made only with coconut, sugar and water. More modern recipes include, non-traditional flavours, colour, nuts, etc.
This post has been updated with text and photography since it was first published in September, 2009.
Thengai Burfi or Coconut Fudge
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh grated coconut
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 5 or 6 pods cardamom powdered
- 2 tbsps ghee
Instructions
- When scraping/ grating the coconut, make sure the brown part does not scraped/ grated as well. This will produce brown flecks in the Coconut Burfi which should be white.
- You may also run the grated coconut a couple of times in your mixer/ blender or food processor to make it finer. Do not over process as it will release oil and become a paste. The finer coconut will produce a smoother Burfi.
- Place the sugar and water in a thick walled/ heavy bottom pan. Over medium heat, stir till the sugar dissolves completely and starts boiling. Keep stirring frequently and let the sugar syrup cook and thicken till it reaches 2-string consistency.
- Since most kitchens in India (even now) do not use candy thermometers, we tend to use the cold water candy test method. And "string/ thread" consistencies are the first stages of sugar syrup.
- To check for 2-string consistency, put a couple of drops of the sugar syrup on your index finger (make sure it has cooled slightly, but still warm, or you will burn your finger). Bring your thumb down to lightly touch the sugar syrup. Lift your thumb away from your finger and the syrup will form threads. If 2 or 3 threads (one thick thread is not enough) form and break, the syrup is at the right consistency.
- If this consistency isn't reached, your burfi can end up becoming soft and fudgy. If your syrup passes this stage, the burfi will be dry and not quite hold together. At the correct consistency, the burfi would hold its shape well while being a bit soft and juicy when bitten into.
- When the sugar syrup has reached the desired consistency, add the grated coconut and stir well. The mixture will take on a slightly wet look from the milk in the coconut. Continue cooking the mixture stirring constantly, till it thickens quite a bit and the edges start looking white and take on a frothy appearance. At this point the mixture will be thick and somewhat dry looking. Don't worry, it will stay together.
- Add the ghee and cardamom powder and stir well. Take the pan off the heat and pour the mixture into a 7" x 11" pan/ cake tin which has been greased well with ghee. Press down (not very hard but enough to pack the mixture into the tin) and level the mixture with a greased flat spatula or the back of a spoon or even the underside of a greased flat bowl.
- Allow to cool and harden a bit. Mark into 24 small squares. Once it has cooled down completely cut and transfer to an airtight container.
- If you plan to keep this beyond 3 or 4 days, then please refrigerate the burfi, in an airtight container, after it has cooled.
I'm Aparna and My Diverse Kitchen is my ovo-lacto vegetarian food blog where you'll find recipes, food stories & photography. I've been blogging since 2007 and believe the kitchen, and the dining table (by extension) is really the heart of a home. 
This is my dad’s fave!! Even I love it!
Looks perfect, Aparna. Iam usually never patient enough to make sure that I scrape only the white part….so i end up adding a little bit of food colour to make up for the lack of whiteness.
One of my fave sweets. My appa is an expert in grating coconuts for this.
I’ve heard that the palmolein lobby ganged up to give coconut oil a bad name and did it in! I ate this recently when a friend made this for Gokulashtami.
Didn’t know that Sra. That’s funny because the palmolein we get here is so refined, I don’t think there’s much that’s good in it anyways.
That looks delicious aparna…
just the perfect kind of indulgence. love the flavors!
That looks so perfect Aparna..must have been so very tasty!..I thought the party ended?..oh must check again..thanks..:)
I don’t listen to anyone who says coconut is unhealthy! Being a Pakistani I grew up in a household that never used coconut in its savory cooking … but since living on my own & experimenting, I LOVE Kerala cuisine, and using coconut for all sorts of sweets and curries. This barfi looks great .. making my mouth water!
I love coconut desserts! I just made a middle-eastern coconut treat 🙂 This looks great, it must taste great too, with all the flavors!
Looks delicious! I love coconuts, especially coconut treats like that! I actually don’t mind the brown flecks. Gives it character :o)
I totally agree,the brown specks give a natural look,and your barfi looks exquisite!What a lovely treat! I am confident that this wonderful produce of our loving earth brings us healthy virtues aswell as pleasure! 🙂 Mia
Coconut barfi is my favorite kind! It looks delicious.
Coconut trees hold a solid place in Bengal too. These coconut barfis or laddoos are something that i am planning to do for the longest time now & didn’t. your pictures & the the post is going to push me to do it.
This is my brothers favorite 🙂
I still remember out Social Studies lesson on Kerala – it was all about the importance of the coconut tree in the life of Kerala and how every part of the tree finds use!I make this barfi on Janmashtmi, adding some khoya for additinal richness! – very very yum. And perfect indulgence for the sweet tooth at the party! Thanks for coming, Aparna!
Wuh, that looks so gorgeous!! I thought that brown speckles added to the beauty, even if u did it unintentionally…I dont think/remember having these, but ur description has made my mouth water enough!!yum yum…I was just going to ask u about string consistency. Thx for explaining that alot. I knew it, but i forgot and was thinking how will i get to know that…Keep up the gud work.hugs,shab.
Yum! I love all things coconut and this is no exception. I actually think that coconut is quite healthy – it provides quick energy and is easily processed by the body. Of course, it must be in it’s natural, but I think luckily more and more of us are catching on to this and benefitting from it’s deliciousness.
Yum,Lovely,simple and yummilicious.Great post and tempting click Aparna.Advanced Navarathri wishes
Jayashree, neither am I. I’m not very fond of garting coconuts! So I just tell myself the colour contarts provided by the speck looks pretty. :)You gals just said it, Marillyn and Mia.No Srivalli. you just might be in time for the party.Muneeba, cocnut is something special to me. 🙂 I had a Pakistani friend in college and she used to love my mum’s coconut curries too.Bengal has a lot in common with Kerala. :)Waiting to see your coconut treats.Khoys would make it taste even better, Anita. Milk and coconut….Thank you, Shabs. And I’m with you there, Amy.
this is one of my favourite sweets… love your picture… I have a question though… can we use pre-packaged grated coconut available in the grocery stores in U.S?
Thank you, Indhu.We don’t get pre-packaged grated coconut here so I really have no idea.If that coconut is somewhat moist like freshly grated coconut, it should be fine. But if it is like dessicated (dried) coconut then I’m not sure it would work.Perhaps you could check with someone you know there or a blogger who lives in the U.S.
You have a beautiful blog! Will definitely try this quick version of kobbari mithai (kannada word for this sweet). As for Aparna’s question, yes, the frozen coconut (freshly grated and frozen) from desi stores works and it’s completely white. I use that here in the US. Try a few diff brands as some have an odor sometimes.
Hi,I have a problem, i guess i put the coconut early – jus as the sugar began to boil. As a result it turned soggy. Any suggestions how to resolve it ?
Call it Fudge is fine with me, I just need several bites now!
Ha, ha.