Burfee

Mix cream and klim milk powder in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs

Add the powdered pistachios, almonds, coconut and cardamom, mix well.

Place Ideal milk and 100ml sugar in a large non-stick pot and bring to the boil.

When the sugar is dissolved add the butter, when the butter is dissolved add the icing sugar, saffron strands, rose essence and food colour and boil for about 12-15 minutes

Add the klim mixture, lower heat and cook for 15-20 minutes before removing from heat

When cool, pour into greased tray and garnish with the pistachios and edible glitter

Allow to stand overnight before slicing into blocks and serve

Or you can spoon mixture into a piping bag with a nozzle of your choice and pipe rosettes or flowers into mini cup cake holders and garnish with edible glitter and allow to stand overnight.

Cook's note 1: both Klim instant milk powder and dessert cream are Nestlé products, available from most supermarkets. Rose essence, powdered cardamom and nuts are available from Indian stores. Edible glitter is available from some Indian stores as well as baking supplies shops, catering equipment stores or contact Sparkledust.co.za.

TASTE'S TAKE

Diwali cannot start without burfee, a mitai (sweet) that is made with milk powder, milk, cream, sugar and lots of almonds and pistachios. There are so many versions of this recipe, however for me and my family this has been a very successful recipe, tried and tested a dozen times.

This recipe was created by Usha Singh, a regular TASTE contributor and author of the popular foodie blog, Healthy Vegetarian Foods, especially for Diwali.