Childhood “buberts” (Signe Miķelsone)

Signe has been living outside Latvia for 17 years. Although she enjoys foods from other cultures and rarely eats desserts, she sometimes still feels the urge to prepare “buberts”—a dessert she remembers well from her childhood.

Here is the recipe Signe used to make “buberts” (Latvian semolina custard) with “ķīselis” (fruit pudding).

Buberts with cranberry “ķīselis” – the taste of childhood! Very delicious.

Ingredients:

0.5 L milk

5 tablespoons semolina

3 eggs

6 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

Preparation:

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and place them in separate bowls. Add a pinch of salt and one tablespoon of sugar to the egg whites, then beat until stiff peaks form.

Beat the egg yolks together with the vanilla sugar and one tablespoon of sugar until the sugar has dissolved and is no longer grainy.

Take a pot and add a small amount of water to prevent the milk from burning. Then add the milk and a pinch of salt (this enhances the flavor). Heat the milk until it is warm but not yet boiling. Slowly add the semolina while stirring continuously.

Keep stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. After about 5 minutes, add the remaining sugar and the beaten yolk mixture. Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed.

Continue heating until the first bubble appears. Then reduce the heat and gently fold in the beaten egg whites. Let everything heat together briefly, then remove from the stove.

Cranberry “ķīselis”:

For a less sweet version, use cranberries. Other berries like strawberries can also be used, but I prefer the tartness of cranberries.

I used 350 g of cranberries (that’s what I had at home — and if there’s too much for the dessert, we simply drink the rest 😊).

Add 350 g cranberries to 1200 ml water (use less water if you prefer a thicker sauce). Boil together with about 150 g sugar (adjust to taste) until the berries burst open.

Adjust the liquid amount if needed and lightly mash the berries. Dissolve 1.5–2 teaspoons of potato starch in a small amount of water, then stir it into the boiling mixture. Let it boil for about 30 seconds until it thickens.

Allow it to cool, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy them together! Bon appétit!

Photos and recipe from Latvian Favorite Foods Facebook page. 

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