Go Back

Instant Pot Besan Burfi (Chickpea Fudge)

instant pot besan burfi

Instant Pot Besan Burfi (Chickpea Fudge)

4.61 from 23 reviews
Pin Recipe Print Recipe
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups besan approx 230 - 245 grams
  • 1 cup sugar approx 200 - 210 grams
  • cup water approx 2.55 - 2.75 ounces
  • ¾ cup ghee approx. 5.5 - 6 ounces
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom*
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped nuts optional, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Roast the Besan:
    Set a 6 quart Instant Pot to sauté (default medium setting) and allow the pot to heat up for a couple of minutes. Add the besan to the instant pot and dry roast the besan, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until it smells toasty and the color slightly darkens by a shade or two. Remove the besan from the pot and set it aside for now (if you’re unsure whether it’s toasted properly, you can taste a pinch of it - if it’s bitter, that means it’s still raw). 
  • Wipe down the pot with a dry paper towel, then add sugar and water to the pot and mix well.
  • Secure the lid and cook for 11 minutes at high pressure.
  • Quick-release pressure.
  • Add the roasted besan, ghee, cardamom, and quickly stir until well combined. You’ll need to be quick as this mixture thickens fast, making it tough to stir well.
  • Spoon the mixture into a greased 8x8 or similar sized pan/dish and spread it out with a spatula. If using nuts, press them into the fudge while it’s still warm (you can use parchment paper to press them in). The fudge sets in minutes - make sure to slice it right away and then let it cool before removing the slices. If you wait too long to make the slices, it'll crumble as you try to slice the hardened burfi.

Video

Notes

Important: All of the recipes on my blog are tested using a 6 quart instant pot – I have not tested this recipe in a different sized pot. I don't know if this recipe will work in a 3 quart or 8 quart as the surface area is different and will affect the temperature of the sugar syrup. I suggest only using a 6 quart for this recipe.
I suggest using freshly ground cardamom over store-bought ground cardamom - I've tried both and freshly ground makes a big difference in this burfi given that it calls for such few ingredients. Remember - when you freshly grind cardamom, save the green shells and use them when making chai :)
Store this burfi in an airtight container on the counter for a week, in the fridge for a couple of weeks or in the freezer for months.
If you see the burn sign: please ignore it - it’ll go away on its own after a few minutes. I’ve made sugar syrup in the instant pot many times and every now and then the IP will go rogue and give me a “burn” sign – it has always gone away on its own after several minutes – just be patient. Here’s what to expect if the burn sign comes up: after a few minutes the burn sign will disappear and the pressure cooker will continue to count down. As long as the valve is closed and the silicone ring is on properly, it’ll be fine. The sugar won’t burn. The temperature of the syrup will still be within the correct range to make this fudge.
Update 7/8: you may have noticed that I changed the cook time to 11 minutes (it was 12 minutes when I first shared the recipe). I did this after hearing that some of you had trouble with the burfi becoming too hard too quickly. After more testing, I think 11 minutes is the way to go.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @myheartbeets on Instagram and hashtag it #myheartbeets!