In our minds, it may seem like the time for wintry things ends after the Holidays. But in reality, that’s when the season really gets going. And we need good fuel to get us through, proper winter food like soup and stew and pudding. Incidentally, that’s exactly what I’m having today: a hearty leek and potato soup followed by these fragrant little puddings. I already snuck a taste and they’re just as delicate and delicious as I’d hoped they’d be. Rosewater, almond extract and cardamom mean they taste like marzipan, which combines wonderfully with the slightly tart apple sauce I made. The amounts I give here make more apple sauce than you probably need for this dessert, but then there really is no such thing as too much apple sauce. 

Ingredients (for 3-4 small puddings)

for the semolina pudding

40 g sugar

500 ml organic milk (semi-skimmed and full fat are both fine)

50 g  coarse wheat semolina

pinch of ground cardamom

a few drops of rosewater

a few drops of almond extract

for the apple sauce

3 apples

1/2 tbsp of sugar (depending on the sweetness of your apples)

water

Apple sauce:

• Peel the apples, remove their core and cut them in small chunks.
• Put the apple cubes in a small saucepan.
• Add a little bit of sugar (depending on the sweetness of the apple you could also leave it out).
• Add enough water to just cover the apple chunks.
• Cover with a lid, bring to a boil and simmer until all the apple has disintegrated.
• If you want you can also add some ground cinnamon.

 

Semolina pudding

• Mix the sugar and semolina in a bowl.
• Slowly bring the milk to a boil and add the cardamom.
• Add the semolina mixture, reduce to a simmer and stir for about 5 minutes or until the porridge is nice and thick.
• Add the rosewater and almond extract and stir through
• Rinse the pudding molds with cold water and pour in the hot pudding.
• Chill in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
• Turn the pudding out on a plate, garnish with some dried rose petals (and perhaps some fresh apple slices) and eat with the apple sauce.