Creamy barley dessert

This is a Nordic version of the classic Risalamande (Rice and almonds), a rice pudding dish usually served at Christmas in Denmark. Rice and almonds is not available in 980 AD, so we replaced the two with barley and hazelnuts. You don't want to wait till Christmas, because it is really so good!

Procedure

Bring milk and barley to the boil whilst stirring. Let it cook 30-40 min. until creamy, stirring frequently. Just before the porridge is ready, season to taste with salt and sugar if liked. Leave to cool completely.

Toast the nuts until the skins are blistered. Wrap the hazelnuts in a towel and rub to remove the skins. Chop the nuts.

Place the berries and water in a cooking pot. Let it simmer for about 5 min. until the berries have softened. Add honey (or sugar) for sweetness. Season to taste and leave to cool.

Whip the cream. Loosen the cold barley porridge with a spoon before carefully folding in the whipped cream. Add the chopped nuts.

Serve the creamy barley porridge with the stewed fruit

Ingredients

4 persons
  • 150 g pearl barley
  • 500 ml milk
  • 0,5 tsp salt
  • Optional: 1-2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 large handfuls hazelnuts
  • 300 g mixed red berries
  • 1-2 tbsp water
  • Honey
  • 300 ml double cream