What blog events do to you... Coconut Bread Burfi

Can you spot me in the picture?

Had it not been for Jihva for Coconut hosted by Ashwini, I would have perhaps never made this Burfi. Why? Because I am not really a dessert person. I mean, I like desserts but I do not really look forward to making them (excluding baked goodies, that is). If you are somebody who has been to my place for lunch or dinner, then you perhaps know that. Although there would be several chutneys and various vegetable preparations in the menu, the dessert would usually be store-bought.

Blog events have changed the scene in my kitchen, though. The urge to make something special and to try out a new recipe for a blog event has resulted in me making various sweets in the last few months. Like I gathered the courage to make Puranpoli only for Jihva for Dal hosted by Sailu. Or like I made Pista Choco Squares only for Jihva for Milk hosted by Vineela.

This time, when Ashwini announced 'Coconut' as the theme, I immediately thought of Undi. And then I said, nah...something new...yes, the event deserves something new...an experiment...
Next moment I was going through all the recipe books on my shelves.
Which one? Which one? Aaaah, this one it's gotta be. Yeah, a Burfi made with coconut and bread(!)...now that sounds exotic!
So, Coconut Bread Burfi it is. Adapted from the Marathi cookbook 'Annapoorna' by Mangala Barve.

My only problem is that other recipes and foods that I want to blog about never get the chance to see the light of the day. Or they get published some three months after I take the pictures. Like I have made the preparations for at least five posts for my Indian Winter series, but those recipes always have to take a backseat when some event comes up. I hope I get to finish the series while it is still winter here in India (which is just another month or so!).

Anyway, let's proceed to the Recipe for Coconut Bread Burfi for the time being.

Clockwise from top right: White bread slices, grated fresh coconut, whole coconut

Makes 20 (3 cm. X 3 cm.) squares

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups grated coconut
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs (from approx. 3-4 slices of white bread without the edges)
1 cup sugar
powder from 5-6 cardamoms
a few strands of saffron (optional)
1 tsp Ghee to grease the dish / Thali

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients upto powdered cardamoms in a heavy bottomed pan or a non-stick pan. (I used the latter.) Cook uncovered on a medium flame until the mixture starts moving in a mass when stirred. (This process takes only about 10 minutes. The breadcrumbs play a great role in quickly bringing all ingredients together.) Add saffron strands, if using.
2. Grease a small Thali or a shallow dish with the Ghee.
3. Transfer the coconut-breadcrumbs mixture into the Thali, and spread it evenly. Press it with the back of a bowl to make the surface smooth. Let cool.
4. Once cool, cut the Burfi in desired pieces. You could grease the knife with some Ghee to prevent the mixture from sticking to it.

Serve Coconut Bread Burfi as dessert or offer it to kids as a sweet treat after school. Whoever you serve it to will not guess the ingredients right. I mean the bread in it. At least nobody in my family circle did. :)
You could stretch the guessing game to 10 days, because that's how long it keeps fresh without refrigeration in winter.

Let me now hurry to Ashwini's to ask her to include my post in her round-up now. I know, it's late, but I also know that she is kind. :)

Tags: Coconut, Barfi, Burfi, Bread, White bread, Breadcrumbs, Mithai