Desi has a monster sweet tooth and I try as much as possible to keep it happy with homemade goodies like this Fruit and Nut Burfi. Made with no added sugar and with the wholesome goodness of dry fruits and nuts, this is a treat that's not just delicious but also as healthy as a sweet can get.

Burfi, for those of you unfamiliar with the word, is an Indian-style fudge. If you were to walk into a sweets store in India, you'd find yourself face to face with burfis in every color of the rainbow. Burfis, like fudge, are cloyingly sweet and they are mostly made with milk or nuts. Because they are eaten on special occasions, they are almost as a rule cooked with ghee.

My very vegan Fruit and Nut Burfi is blissfully dairy-free. I had some beautiful dates gifted by my friend Margo that I wanted to use for something special, and I always have figs and almonds on hand because Desi loves My very vegan Fruit and Nut Burfi is blissfully dairy-free. I had some beautiful dates gifted by my friend Margo that I wanted to use for something special, and I always have figs and almonds on hand because Desi loves chopping some into his breakfast each morning. Into all of this fruity goodness I stirred in some almonds and walnuts. And instead of ghee, I used some delicious coconut oil which, like ghee, thickens at room temperature, helping the burfi firm up, and adds amazing flavor.

This is a very simple recipe with just six ingredients, and there is not much that can go wrong -- it's almost fool-proof. But there is a little hard labor involved in stirring up the fruit and nut paste until it's cooked, about 25 minutes altogether. To my mind, that's not a high price for a lot of deliciousness.

Here's the recipe. Enjoy, all!