This almond halwa recipe is very simple, quick and easy and beginner-friendly as long as you have all the ingredients ready with you. Badam halwa is that one rich classic Indian dessert that deserves to be labelled as ‘phenomenal’. It is prepared with lavish and rich ingredients that are delectable yet super easy to prepare. Badam halwa is that one rich classic Indian dessert that deserves to be labelled as ‘phenomenal’. It is prepared with lavish and rich ingredients that are delectable yet super easy to prepare.
What is Badam Halwa?
Halwa or Halva refers to a thick and rich pudding or dessert or sweet confection found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and their neighbouring countries like Iran and Afghanistan. It can be made using different grains, lentils, nuts, vegetables or fruits along with ghee, sugar, milk or water and flavoured with delicate spices. These are the standard ingredients used in most sweet Indian recipes. There are many different kinds of halwa recipes on the blog/ Whilst red carrots or Delhi carrots are available in the winter, we love to enjoy carrot halwa. For get-together or on festivals we like to pick Moong dal halwa. Badam means almond and halwa means pudding. You may call it Almond Pudding too. Badam halwa or almond halwa is a popular Indian dessert made with blanched almonds, sugar and ghee (clarified butter) and flavoured with saffron and cardamom. To give a yellow hue, a big pinch of saffron added to this best badam halwa recipe. Also, it is garnished with slivered pistachios, saffron, edible rose petals and silver foil (chandi ka varq). Badam halwa is considered a winter delicacy as almonds provide warmth and energy and the halwa is perfect to warm up the body. If preparing in winter, it is best eaten in the morning. This decadent Indian dessert is also prepared on any Indian festivals such as Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Navratri or Diwali. I love to enjoy this when I am in mood for delicious indian sweets that are easy to make too. The procedure of making Badam Halwa the traditional way is quite long. In traditional method of badam ka halwa recipe, raw almonds are soaked overnight in water or blanched then the skin is peeled. Before proceeding to make the halwa, peeled almonds are ground into a coarse paste using a blender or food processor. This takes a long time and lots of effort to make perfect Badam halwa. I am sharing a quick version of badam halwa, and it will have same taste and texture of traditional badam halwa. I am using almond flour or almond meal. No compromise at all, trust me! I have many different kinds of halwa recipes on my blog. Aate Ka Halwa Doodh Halwa Sooji no Siro (Suji Halwa) for Satyanarayan Katha Prasad Doodhi/Lauki Halwa Chikoo Halwa Whilst red carrots or delhi carrots are available in the winter, we love to enjoy carrot halwa. For get-togethers or on festivals, we like to pick Moong dal halwa.
Why this recipe is a keeper
No planning required – this is instant badam halwa recipe. Since you don’t require whole almonds for this recipe, you’ll save lots of time on prep such as soaking, peeling etc. Instead you can make this halwa instantly whenever the craving hits or you have a guest and are pressed for time. No compromising on authentic taste – this shortcut recipe of this rich Indian dessert has perfect texture and much flavor just like the original method. Make ahead dessert – this is a great make ahead recipe that can be doubled, tripled or even quadrupled. If you are planning a get-together or parties simply cook in advance, let it cool completely then refrigerate. Bring it to room temperature before serving. Healthier Indian dessert – generally Indian desserts are packed with sugar and ghee. This almond halwa is prepared with protein rich nuts. Crowd pleaser – It makes the perfect dessert for the festive season, parties, or potlucks.
Almond Flour vs Almond Meal vs Almond Powder
For this particular recipe I am using almond flour instead of whole raw almonds. Almond flour or almond powder are both the same. Both are simply finely ground almonds resembling fine powder. Almond meal is prepared with almonds with skin on. It is also known as unbleached almond flour and is slightly grainier than almond flour. Almond flour is vegan, gluten-free and nutritious that is easily available in most of the supermarkets, health food store and online. We always pick up a bag of almond flour from the Indian grocery store or costco to make an almond flour recipe. Some delicious desserts includes Almond French Toasts, Vegan Kesar Badam Katli , Almond Sukhdi, No added sugar Badam katli (Instant Pot) and Badam Besan Ka Halwa.
Tips for best melt-in-mouth Badam Halwa
Good quality ghee is a must for this recipe, we always use homemade fresh desi ghee for all our Indian desserts. Same goes for almond flour too, don’t use very old or rancid almond flour. The halwa will be bitter and smelly. Not using almond flour and making almond paste for halwa from scratch? Ensure to grind to a coarse paste and not fine, as badam halwa needs to be a bit coarse in texture (like rava/semolina). To get soft and melt-in-mouth texture, it is very important to use right amount of ghee. Follow the right measurements and don’t reduce the ghee. Cook Badam halwa on right temperature. that should be medium-low heat. If you cook in high temperature, there are chances that you can burn the mixture. For perfect consistency of halwa, keep an eye on the heat and timing. As soon as the halwa is cooked and done, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the halwa in a bowl or another container. If kept in a hot pan, halwa cooks further or overcooks and it gets chewy.
Ingredients
Full measurements of Ingredients are availabe in the recipe card below. Almond flour– I have used blanched almond flour that is easily available in local supermarkets, Asian grocery shops, health stores and Costco. Ghee – We will use homemade desi ghee in this recipe, good quality and freshly made ghee enhances the flavour and texture of the halwa. For rich and authentic taste, you don’t want to reduce the quantity of the ghee in the recipe. Sugar– we are using white sugar to sweeten the halwa. Regular sugar won’t change halwa colour. For keto diet use stevia or any other keto sweetener. Milk Powder and Milk– I am using full fat milk powder and full-fat dairy milk for this recipe. For Vegan Badam halwa recipe use almond milk or coconut milk. Saffron and Cardamom – for flavours and colour you’ll need aromatic spices such as saffron and cardamom. Remember, while a bit of saffron wonderfully enhances recipes, even a smidgen too much will make them taste medicinal. If saffron is not available then use a pinch of turmeric powder or good quality edible yellow colour. I have used freshly ground cardamom from 4 green cardamom pods. Freshly ground cardamom provides best flavours, store bought cardamom powders looses their freshness and aroma. For a change add few drops of rose water. Garnish/Topping (optional) Nuts – I have used slivered pistachios, silver foil (edible silver foil) also known as chandi varq and dried rose petals. You may use fried cashew nuts and slivered almonds too, it’s your personal choice.
Badam Halwa without Almond Flour
You can make badam halwa with whole almonds, it just increases the cooking time. First, soak almonds in hot water for at least 6-8 hours. Then blanch then by peeling their skin, and then in the grind them with little amount of water or milk. Grind till you get coarse almond paste, similar texture like semolina/rava. Once you ground them, follow the recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Usually, Badam halwa is served along with the spicy Indian meal or thali. If there is a coursed meal, then serve it as a dessert at the end of the meal. Check out our Best Indian Fusion Recipes for more variety of Indian desserts. We love warm Badam halwa that is oozing with ghee with Chana Bateta Nu Saak (chickpea and potato curry) and Poori for breakfast. Badam halwa is served at room temperature, however in winter you can serve it warm too. A small bowl of badam halwa with warm milk in winter is bliss! Love milk dessert recipes? Why don’t you check out my Best Indian Milk Desserts If you chill badam ka halwa, it becomes hard and thick and doesn’t taste great. You may serve this halwa loose in a bowl or serve on a small side plate. Simply fill a small bowl with hot halwa, press it down using a spoon then invert it on the plate. Garnish it with chopped nuts and 1-2 dried rose petals.
Storage
Room Temperature – Badam halwa stays fresh 24 hours at room temperature. Make sure to keep it in an airtight container. Fridge – the shelf life of this Badam halwa is about one week if kept in the refrigerator. Once cooled totally, put it in the airtight container and keep it in the fridge. Freezer – You can make this halwa in advance and store it up to 1 month in the freezer. Allow the to halwa cool completely before storing it in freezer safe bags or containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat – If the halwa is kept in the fridge or freezer, bring it to room temperature before serving or warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds.
How to make Vegan Badam Halwa
To make it vegan almond halwa In place of ghee you can use vegan butter or coconut oil. Also replace whole dairy milk with almond milk. By replacing all the dairy products to vegan alternative, the end result will be slightly different.
How to make Badam Halwa
First, in a one bowl take, one and a half cups of almond flour / ground almond and 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (you won’t need warm water) and make a lump-free paste. In another bowl add one cup sugar, 3 cup full-fat milk, 1 cup milk powder and a big pinch of saffron strands. You can use cold or warm milk. If you use warm milk, sugar will melt quickly and saffron will release the colour quicker too. Mix well until sugar melts, set it aside. Milk will turn yellow and saffron will releases it’s aroma and flavour. Take a thick bottom pan or kadai, and heat it on low heat. Make sure to use thick deep bottom pan to avoid burning and spluttering of the badam halwa mixture. Nonstick pan works fine too. Then add one fourth cup ghee and let it melt. Once it melted add almond paste and mix it well with ghee. On low to medium flame fry the almond paste for about 10-12 minutes without letting it brown and raw smell goes away. Then add milk and sugar mixture, at this stage mixture will be liquid. Keep stirring to avoid lumps in the mixture on medium heat. Make sure the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. After 20-25 minutes mixture will start thickening, add a tablespoon of ghee and teaspoon cardamom powder. Cook the mixture till you get right consistency and the mass separates from sides of the pan. This is the sign that it is cooked and of the right consistency. Turn off the heat. Serve in a serving bowl and garnish it with slivered pistachio and silver foil. In the spirit of the upcoming Diwali festivities, make this halwa to immerse yourself in Diwali cooking and get yourself in the festival mood!
Other Diwali recipes
1. Bombay Ice and Golden Halwa 2. Besan Barfi 3. Pistachio Halwa 4. Baklava Barfi 5. Sutarfeni 6. 150+ Diwali Sweets and Snacks Recipes As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations! Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Note:- This post was originally posted in November 2010 but I have updated the post since with newer photos and content.
