By Hetal Vasavada , Food & Wine
Floral, fragrant cardamom shines in this rich and nutty dessert inspired by burfi (a type of fudge-like, milk-based Indian sweet), so sourcing fresh, quality spices is a must. For her Diwali celebration, blogger and cookbook author Hetal Vasavada tops her bark with edible flowers and gold leaf, making for a stunning presentation. Edible foil must be 24-karat gold or pure silver to be safe for consumption. They can be purchased from Slo Food Group. Order dried organic rose petals from Rose Dose or look for fresh calendula or pansies. (Petals from Whole Foods or other retailers will work as long as they marked as “edible.”)
Active Time:40 MIN
Total Time: 1 HR 15 MIN
Yield: Serves 18 to 20
See more at Food & Wine
Floral, fragrant cardamom shines in this rich and nutty dessert inspired by burfi (a type of fudge-like, milk-based Indian sweet), so sourcing fresh, quality spices is a must. For her Diwali celebration, blogger and cookbook author Hetal Vasavada tops her bark with edible flowers and gold leaf, making for a stunning presentation. Edible foil must be 24-karat gold or pure silver to be safe for consumption. They can be purchased from Slo Food Group. Order dried organic rose petals from Rose Dose or look for fresh calendula or pansies. (Petals from Whole Foods or other retailers will work as long as they marked as “edible.”)
Active Time:40 MIN
Total Time: 1 HR 15 MIN
Yield: Serves 18 to 20
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups dry-roasted pistachios (preferably Turkish pistachios)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 5 ounces 35% white chocolate (such as Valrhona Ivoire), chopped (about 1 cup)
- Fresh soft edible flowers, dried edible rose petals, and edible gold leaf, for decoration
How to Make It
Step 1
Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Working in 2 batches, process pistachios in a food processor until a very fine powder forms, about 40 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl.Step 2
Bring sugar and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Boil, undis-turbed, until syrup reaches one-string consistency (see Note) or a candy thermometer registers 220°F, 2 to 3 minutes.Step 3
Add pistachio powder, cardamom, and salt to sugar syrup. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and resembles wet sand, about 2 minutes. Transfer pistachio mixture to prepared pan; roughly press mixture into pan using a moistened rubber spatula. Lightly grease a small offset spatula with ghee, and press mixture into a flat, even layer. Let stand 15 minutes.Step 4
Place white chocolate in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave chocolate on medium (50% power) in 10-second intervals, stirring thoroughly between intervals, until melted and smooth, about 50 seconds. Pour melted chocolate over pistachio mixture in pan, and gently tilt to cover in an even layer of chocolate. Tap pan a few times on counter to level chocolate. Top with flowers and rose petals. Gently tap pan 2 times on counter to settle toppings. Freeze until set, about 20 minutes. Decorate with additional flowers and gold leaf, if desired. Using parchment as handles, transfer bark to a cutting board; remove parchment. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut bark into angular, bite-size pieces.Make Ahead
Store cut bark in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. Bring bark to room temperature before serving.Notes
To check for one-string consistency, remove pan from heat, and dip a spoon into the syrup; let it cool for a few seconds, letting excess drip off, and run your pointer finger across spoon. Rub syrup between your thumb and pointer finger, and gently pull fingers apart. If a single small string is formed and does not break when your thumb and pointer finger are pulled apart, the syrup is ready.See more at Food & Wine
