.jpg)
If you are looking for a simple yet impressive dessert to serve this fall, air pudding is all you need.
This old-fashioned dessert is called ilmapuuro or vispipuuro in Finland. Some people also like to serve it warmed for breakfast with milk or cream poured over. You can use any berries you like, though fresh lingonberries are most commonly used.
Since fresh lingonberries are not available here, fresh cranberries work just as well. With so few ingredients, it costs under a dollar per serving. The consistency is much like meringue, but with barely detectable flecks of creamy cereal. If you want it less sweet, reduce the sugar to 1 cup. If you want it more sweet, increase the sugar to 1 1/2 cups.
Finnish Air Pudding
Ingredients:
1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries
3 cups water
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup uncooked farina (such as Cream of Wheat or Malt O Meal)
2 tablespoons honey
Fresh mint for garnishing (optional)
Instructions:
Place the cranberries in a deep stainless steel pot. Add water. Bring to the boil over medium high heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the cranberries have softened. Remove from heat and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Gently mash the cranberries with a potato masher. Strain through a metal fine mesh sieve, reserving solids. Measure out 3 cups of liquid. If necessary, add a little extra water to make 3 cups. Place the liquid back in the pot with the sugar. Turn the heat to high and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture begins to boil, add farina and turn the heat to low. Whisking constantly, cook for 5 minutes or until the cereal is soft and thickened. Pour into a stand mixer and whip for 10 minutes or until light and fluffy. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Stir together the reserved cranberry solids and honey. Serve the chilled pudding with the honey-cranberry compote swirled in. Garnish with fresh mint if desired.
Yield: 10 servings.
