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Layered Carrot Halwa Coconut Burfi Bars are two of my favorite Indian desserts combined into one delicious moist and chewy burfi! They are portable, look sersiously impressive and make for the perfect edible gift for the holidays. Vegan dairyfree, Glutenfree Nutfree option
Why make just 1 dessert when you can make 2? These layered Carrot Halwa Coconut Burfi Bars use only few ingredients and come together super quickly. The perfect bites for any festive season.
These consist of a moist layer of shredded coconut Burfi that tastes a bit like a coconut macaroon with cardamom. The topping is made with sweet, caramelized shredded carrots which we season with a hint of cardamom and lime. DIVINE.
Like all Indian sweets, these burfi bars are seriously sweet but you can reduce the amount of sugar used by a bit to make them less sweet. Indian sweets and desserts are usually served on special occasions and festivals(Indian holidays), they aren’t eaten as an everyday thing. They tend to be small portions and a bit on the sweet side.
They are easily portable, so make for a great edible gift. They last quite a bit so you can make them ahead of time with no problem.
Just make sure you chill them well before cutting them or they will not cut into neat slices.
With those gorgeous layers, they already look pretty impressive but a sprinkling of chopped pistachios takes them to the next level. You could also sprinkle them with some culinary rose petals, or apple culinary silver or top witb other nuts or seeds.
More Indian Sweets:
Vegan Almond Halwa; Instant Pot Badam Halwa (No Oil)
Vegan Malai Burfi (Milk Cake)- Indian Fudge Bars
Rasmalai Tres Leches Cake (Vegan)
Layered Carrot Halwa Coconut Burfi Bars Vegan
Ingredients
For the Coconut Burfi layer
- 1.5 cups desiccated coconut, this is just finely shredded coconut. If your shreds are large or medium, pulse them in a blender until they are somewhat closer to semolina
- 1 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup sugar, (Indian sweets are sweet! Use 2 tbsp less if needed)
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or crushed seeds of 2 cardamom pods
For carrot halwa layer
- 1 1/4 cup grated carrot
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/8 tsp lime zest,, optional
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour or use rice flour or cornstarch for gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon vegan butter
Instructions
- Make the coconut Burfi layer: Add the coconut milk and sugar to a pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Mix well to mix in the sugar. Add in the dessicated coconut and mix well to hydrate all the coconut by pressing and mixing. Cook until the mixture comes together like a soft dough. 7 to 10 minutes depending on the pan and stove. Stir frequently so coconut doesn’t burn.
- Then add in the cardamom and salt and mix in and take off heat. Transfer into a parchment lined brownie pan or baking dish – 8 x 8” or 9×9 inch. Press it evenly with a spatula then put it in the fridge to set for 15-20 mins.
- Make the carrot halwa: Add the carrots, maple syrup, almond flour to the skillet over medium heat. Cook until the carrots don’t smell raw and and aren’t leaking moisture. 6 to 8 mins. Then add the sugar, flour, cardamom , zest if using and butter and mix in. Cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. Taste to check if the carrots are cooked and caramelized to preference. Else cook longer. Press and mix and bring together like a dough.
- Take the pan out of the fridge. Transfer the carrot mixture to the pan and press and spread it evenly on top of the coconut layer using a spatula. Top with chopped pistachios, press them in. Chill the Burfi for an hour, then remove the Burfi bars using the parchment, then slice and serve.
- Storage: Store on the counter if using in a few hours. Else refrigerate for upto 4 days. Freeze for upto a month
Video
Notes
- Nutfree: omit the pistachios and almond flour. Use shredded coconut instead of the almond flour.
- For this recipe, I use finely shredded coconut. If your shreds are large or medium, just pulse them in a blender until they somewhat closer to semolina
- I love using whole cardamom here. Take seeds from 2 pods for each layer. Crush in a mortar pestle and use.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients:
- for the coconut layer, we simmer desiccated coconut in some full fat coconut milk along with sugar and cardamom
- for the carrot layer, we sautee some grated carrots with maple syrup and sugar to enhance their natural sweetness
- vegan butter is added for richness
- almond flour is the sub used for the khoya(milk solids)
- flour helps thicken the carrot mix
- the carrot layer is also flavored with cardamom and a hit of lime zest
Tips:
- For this recipe, I use finely shredded coconut. If your shreds are large or medium, just pulse them in a blender until they somewhat closer to semolina
- I use cardamom as the main flavor but you can change it up to your preference. Use vanilla or add some cinnamon and nutmeg to the carrot layer for a carrot cake flavor.
- For making without nuts omit the pistachios and almond flour. Use shredded coconut instead of almond flour in the carrot layer
- glutenfree: use rice flour or cornstarch for glutenfree burfi bars
- Indian sweets are seriously sweet! If you don’t have a major sweet tooth, use 2 tbsp less if needed
How to make Vegan Carrot Halwa Coconut Burfi
Add the coconut milk and sugar to a pan and bring to a boil over medium heat , stir to mix in the sugar.
Add in the coconut and mix in. cook until it comes together like a soft dough. 7-10 mins
Then add in the cardamom and mix in and take off the heat.
Press into a lined baking dish – 8 x 8” or 9 x9 inch.
Make the carrot layer: Add the carrots maple syrup almond flour to the skillet and cook until the carrots are somewhat dry and not leaking moisture. 6-8 mins
Then add the sugar, flour, cardamom , zest if using and butter and mix in.
Cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. Taste to check if the carrots are cooked and caramelized to preference. Else continue to cook.
Press and mix and bring together like a dough.
Spread this over the coconut layer.
Top with chopped pistachios. press them in and chill for an hour.
Remove the Burfi bars from the pan using the parchment. Slice and serve.
Storage: Store on the counter if using in a few hours. Else refrigerate for upto 4 days. Freeze for upto a month
Variations
- Use vanilla instead of cardamom for flavor
- Make a thicker carrot layer. Double up on the carrots. Cook longer and make a thicker halwa layer
Hi there, could I make just the barfi layer? I’e been looking for a good vegan coconut barfi recipe..
Yes!
Hi Richa,
Can the vegan butter be omitted or replaced with Rapeseed Oil?
Yes use oil
Hi Richa, I have just finished making this recipe and it looks amazing! I used all the ingredients you did, except I used coconut powder and water (2 Tbsp powder to 300ml water, then reduced to 283 mls) as a substitute for coconut milk and it worked perfectly. I also used a few drops of concentrated lime juice from a bottle instead of lime zest in the halwa and it worked well. Mine looks just like your photos. Perhaps making a double batch would make the layers thicker, I could just spread it in our 22cm x 22 cm (8 and 3/4 inch) brownie pan. It looks so colorful and unique, the family will love to try this one this evening, thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe.
Wonderful! Thank you.
can this be made without sugar and substituted with jaggery
Yes use jaggery powder. The coconut layer will be light brown in color
Dear Richa,
Do you use the dry desiccated coconut or fresh/frozen ones?
Dry. Frozen will work as well. It will just take longer to thicken to a dough
I’ve made many of your recipes, all very tasty. I wanted to ask you to double check your measurements for the coconut burfi. It didn’t come together as a dough and I followed your ingredients list. The coconut mix was all separated and not clumping together. I had to boil about 1/2 or 2/3 cup more sugar, some maple syrup and some water to make a syrup which I added to the dough before it started forming.
The only substitution I did was coconut flour instead of desiccated coconut but I figured they were essentially the same thing. Can you help me figure what went wrong?
TIA
Coconut flour and desiccated coconut are not the same. Desiccated coconut is just shredded coconut that’s smaller shred. Coconut flour is defatted flour if the shreds. It absorbs a lottttt more moisture and won’t obviously come together without the added moisture.
These look beautiful! Love the ingredients. Will make next time we have company or we are guests. Thanks Richa.
Awesome!! Do leave a rating too if you feel like it!
Hi Richa
Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe of coconut carrot barfi.
Pls can I know which brand of full fat coconut milk have you used for this recipe.
Awaiting your reply
Thank you 🙏
Divisha
I use Whole Foods brand or Thai kitchen brand canned full fat coconut milk