Usually, when Diwali comes in late October or November, it’s also starting to get festive here in the North East. And if you come from a culture like India, any festival is all about the food.

When we were young, it would mean tons of homemade snacks and sweets. And what I love about Indian desserts is that they come in small bites, perfect so that we could sample many varieties.

So as Diwali and Thanksgiving approaches this year, I was thinking about this dessert that Mummy would sometimes make for Diwali. Made usually with condensed whole milk called mawa and crushed nuts, it was nutty, caramelized, and with the right balance of cardamom and other spices.

The memory of that texture made me experiment with pumpkin and almond flour, and after some tinkering, this recipe for a pumpkin, almond & coconut barfi tastes pretty darn good. And of course since I was using pumpkin, I had to use the Chai Masala and Grandma’s Gold which really pump up the flavors of Fall.

This is a great make-ahead recipe, hope you’ll try it for Thanksgiving for a change from pie, with all the same flavors, and you could even make it vegan friendly.

1/2 cup slivered almonds toasted
1/2 cup dry desiccated coconut toasted
1 1/2 cup almond flour
1 can of organic pumpkin puree (15 oz.)
2 tbsp. ghee or (coconut oil – vegan)
1 tsp. Grandma’s Gold blend
2 tsp. Chai Masala blend
2/3 cup + 2 tbsp. organic condensed milk
2 tbsp. white chocolate chips (optional)

1. Heat a non-stick pan and dry toast the almonds on medium heat until the slivers get a hint of color, approx. 5-8 minutes, remove and set aside in a plate.
2. In the same dry pan, toast the desiccated coconut, until toasty. Coconut toasts quickly, so watch it. Remove and set aside to cool. When cooled, blitz it in a food processor into a coarse crumb. Reserve some for garnish.
3. Keep the heat on medium and add the almond flour and the ghee (or coconut oil) to the pan. Toast for 8-10 minutes until the grains of the flour gets nutty and start to brown slightly.
4. Add the pureed pumpkin to the pan and keep stirring and burning off the moisture for approx. 10-15 minutes.



5. Add the spices, blended coconut, and stir in the condensed milk. Taste, and adjust sweetness and spices to your liking.
6. Stir for another 5-8 minutes.
7. While stirring the mixture on the stove, pre-heat the oven to 350F and line a baking tray with 1 in” sides with a parchment paper that hangs over the sides.
8. Take the mixture and smooth it out into the lined tray. If using the white chocolate chips, press them randomly into the mix and gently press them into the tray and smooth over.
9. Bake for 35 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean.
10. Let it completely cool on a rack, when cooled, cut shapes using a small mold or a cookie cutter.
11. Place the smooth side up, decorate with the toasted almonds and the remaining coconut crumbs.
12. Store in the fridge if serving later.