Danish Dessert or Red Porridge with Cream (Rødgrød med fløde)

Rødgrød med fløde (Red Porridge with Cream)

Rødgrød (Danish, Danish pronunciation: [ˈʁœðˀgʁœðˀ]), Rote Grütze (German), or Rode Grütt (Plattdeutsch) is a dish from Denmark and Germany.

Grød or Grütze was traditionally made of groat or grit, as revealed by the second component of the name in Danish, German or Plattdeutsch. Semolina and sago are still used in some family recipes; potato starch or corn starch is today the standard choice to achieve a creamy to pudding-like starch gelatinization. The traditional berry used was the red current. Today, the essential ingredients that justify the adjective are red summer berries such as redcurrant, blackcurrant, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, bilberries, stoned black cherries and sometimes red plums. Rødgrød med fløde, red berry porridge with cream, is the hallmark dessert of Denmark. Use tart berries like red currants if you can find them; if using strawberries, reduce the amount of sugar so it isn't too sweet. Many recipes include rhubarb as well.

Rødgrød med fløde is also an excellent way to tease LDS missionaries, exchange students and any English-speaking visitor, as the phrase is notoriously difficult to pronounce.  In Denmark, rødgrød med fløde graces the table often. English speakers always approach it with anxious pleasure because they know they'll have to make a lame attempt at pronunciation and smile through the host’s laughs before they can even pick up a spoon.

The essential flavor can be achieved with redcurrant alone; a small amount of blackcurrant will add variety; sugar is used to intensify the flavour. The amounts of starch, sago, semolina differ with the solidity desired; 20 to 60 grams on a kilogram or liter of the recipe are usual; sago, groat or grit have to soak before they can be used.

The preparation is basically that of a pudding: The fruits are cooked briefly with sugar. The mass should cool down for a moment so that the starch—dissolved in fruit juice or water—can be stirred into it without clumping. A second cooking process of one to two minutes is needed to start the gelatinization; remaining streaks of white starch have to clear up in this process.

Rødgrød or Rote Grütze is served hot or cold as a dessert with milk, a mixture of milk and vanilla sugar, vanilla sauce, (whipped) cream or custard to balance the refreshing taste of the fruit acids. In Denmark, most eat rødgrød ladled into soup plates for an afterschool snack, or as a light dessert (cakes and cookies were only served at teatime, never for dessert) after dinner.

The cream (fløde) pitcher makes its way around the table, everyone adding generous sloshes into their bowls.  It is difficult to resist the bright pink and white.  Sometimes Danes even spooned a bit of whipped cream on top. (You’ve got to love a place where people put both cream and whipped cream on their desserts.)

The Eastern European Kissel known in Poland, parts of Russia, Lithuania and Ukraine is a closely related dish.

Anyone can grow a red currant bush.  The berries can be frozen and saved to make jelly, summer pudding (into  the fall), pies, and, of course, rødgrød med fløde.

In Denmark, many thickened fruit soups are eaten throughout the year: rhubarb, strawberry, cherry. Two of the favorites are: rødgrød med fløde and Mirabelle plum soup.

It is served often in Denmark because it’s such a pretty dish and is so very good.

We also had jordbærgrød (strawberry), rabarbergrød (rhubarb), and mirabellegrød (mirabelle plums).

Bettina in Denmark said...

"I guess most Danish families have their own recipe for "rødgrød med fløde". To me, it should definitely include strawberries, and probably also some rhubarb ;-) And I would save the raspberries for a snack later... And - as many danes are also more consious about skipping some of the fats nowadays, you will probably get your stewed fruit with milk. Lots of us don't even like cream ;-) I know, boring!"

Rødgrød med fløde
Use frozen berries for this version.
Serves 4
300 grams red currants (a generous 2 cups, without stems)
200 grams raspberries (a shy 2 cups)
1-1/2 cups water
75 grams (5 tablespoons) sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
Combine the red currants and raspberries in a saucepan with 1-1/2 cups water.  Bring to a boil, and simmer until the berries are tender—about 10 minutes.  Blend the berries with an immersion blender, then put through a sieve.  You will have about 2-1/2 cups liquid. Put the juice back into the saucepan and add the sugar (use more or less to taste).  Bring to a boil, and then stir in the dissolved cornstarch.  Stirring constantly, bring to a boil again, and boil for a full 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and pour into a serving dish.  Some suggest sprinkling sugar over the surface to keep a skin from forming.  I haven’t had luck with that.  Maybe you will? Let cool to room temperature, then put in the refrigerator to chill.  Serve with cream and/or whipped cream. Notes: It's tempting, and easy, to oversweeten this, as the currants are tart.  Resist the temptation--the currants have an intense taste, and when combined with too much sugar the dish tastes like a bowl of jam.  Pass a bowl of sugar at the table for those who want more. For those with fancy tastes or for use as a ‘company’ dessert, after the rødgrød med fløde is chilled, layer it in parfait glasses with whipped cream.  Add some amaretti crumbs to the layers or caramelized pumpernickel crumbs.

Red Berry Pudding with Cream (Rødgrød med Fløde)
This intensely-flavored berry pudding is topped with a delicious light cream. While it's traditionally made at the end of the summer in Denmark, when raspberries and red currants are at their peak, it's also wonderful with the strawberries and raspberries. 8 servings, generous 1/2 cup each
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 3-4 hours (including chilling time)
INGREDIENTS
6 cups (about 6 half-pints) fresh or frozen (not thawed) raspberries
5 cups (about 1 1/2 quarts) fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries, trimmed
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 pint whipping cream
2 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
PREPARATION
Process raspberries and strawberries in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to a food mill or push through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl. Add enough water to the strained berries to equal 5 cups liquid. Whisk cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk the cornstarch mixture and granulated sugar into the strained berries and transfer to a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly (make sure to whisk the bottom well), until the mixture is very hot and beginning to bubble. Cook for 1 minute more, whisking constantly.
Transfer the pudding to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (it will continue to thicken as it chills). Whip cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; continue whipping until firm peaks form. Serve the pudding with a dollop of cream on top.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (120% daily value).

Rødgrød med Fløde
1 1/4 lbs mixed soft fruit (red-currants, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, red plums, chop rhubarb, if using, into 1-inch pieces. You can use a combination of fruits but never use rhubarb alone.)
2 1/2 cups water
8 ounces sugar (caster or superfine)
vanilla essence, to taste
2 ounces potato flour
whipped cream, to serve
slivered almond, to serve
Wash and pick over the fruit, then crush the fruit with a fork. Place fruit in a pan with the water, bring slowly to the boil; remove from heat and leave to cool for 15 minutes. Pass fruit through a fine sieve, return the juice to the pan, add the sugar and vanilla essence, bring to the boil. Measure the liquid and, if necessary, make up to 3 cups with water. Blend the potato flour with the wine, stir into the juice and simmer until thickened; spoon into glasses and sprinkle with caster sugar. Decorate with whipped cream and almonds.

Rødgrød med Fløde"

INGREDIENTS

1 package (10 ounces) frozen raspberries, thawed

1 package (10 ounces) frozen strawberries, thawed

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup cold water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Slivered almonds (optional, most Danes do not use them)

Fine granulated sugar (optional)

Half-and-half (optional)

PREPARATION

Puree the berries in a food processor (or press through a sieve to remove seeds). Mix cornstarch and water in a saucepan. Gradually stir in the water.  Add the processed fruit. Heat the entire mixture to boiling stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 full minute. Remove the pan from the heat.  Add in the lemon juice. At this point, you can pour into individual dessert dishes or 1 serving bowl. 

My tweak - I sprinkle fine granulated sugar over the top of the pudding. That keeps it from getting a skin on the top. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Sprinkle with the slivered almonds.

In Denmark, some serve with half-and-half. Top with whipped cream.