Turkish Semolina Dessert with Honey and Pistachios Recipe
A simple dessert made from semolina cooked in milk with honey and pistachios, inspired by Turkish sweets. In Turkey, similar desserts are often served after lunch with a small cup of coffee or tea. The flavors are delicate, milky, and nutty, a bit like a cross between pudding, semolina porridge, and baklava without the pastry.
This dessert combines the comforting creaminess of semolina pudding with the aromatic sweetness of honey and the crunch of nuts, evoking the flavors of Turkish sweets in a very simple, everyday-friendly form.
Chef's tips
Stir constantly while cooking so the semolina doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and no lumps form. Use good-quality honey and fresh nuts—their flavor really carries the whole dessert.
How to serve
Serve in small glass cups or decorative bowls so the nut topping is clearly visible. Just before serving, you can drizzle a little extra honey on top or add a small knob of butter that will melt into the warm dessert.
Ingredients
- milk cow’s or plant-based with a neutral flavor - 600 ml
- semolina - 80 g
- honey or more to taste - 3 tablespoons
- sugar optional, if you like sweeter desserts - 1 tablespoon
- butter - 1 tablespoon
- unsalted pistachios roughly chopped - 40 g
- walnuts chopped, optional - 20 g
- ground cinnamon for sprinkling - 0.5 teaspoons
- lemon zest finely grated, only the yellow part - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to enhance the flavor - 1 pinch
Preparation
- Roughly chop the pistachios and walnuts with a knife. Set aside 1–2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top; you will mix the rest into the dessert.
- Pour the milk into a saucepan, add a pinch of salt and the sugar (if using). Heat over medium heat until hot but not yet boiling.
- Reduce the heat to low. Slowly pour the semolina into the milk in a thin stream, stirring vigorously all the time with a whisk or spoon to prevent lumps from forming.
- Cook for 5–7 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens noticeably and starts to bubble gently. It should have the consistency of thick pudding.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the butter, honey, grated lemon zest, and most of the chopped pistachios and walnuts. Mix thoroughly until the butter melts and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Taste the mixture and, if needed, add a little more honey if the dessert seems not sweet enough.
- Pour the hot mixture into small bowls or glasses. Smooth the surface with a spoon.
- Sprinkle the top with the reserved pistachios and walnuts and dust lightly with cinnamon.
- Serve the dessert warm or after it has cooled completely; once cooled it will set even more and can be eaten with a spoon like pudding.
Storage
Deser po schłodzeniu w lodówce staje się bardziej zwarty. Przechowuj go przykryty folią spożywczą lub pokrywką, aby nie chłonął zapachów. Przed jedzeniem możesz go lekko ogrzać w kąpieli wodnej lub zjeść na zimno.
