Okay, so I decided to tackle a farina dessert the other day. Been ages since I had anything like it, reminded me of my childhood, sort of. Had this box of farina sitting in the pantry, staring at me, practically begging to be used for something other than plain breakfast porridge.
Getting Started – The Usual Kitchen Mess
First thing, I pulled out the farina, milk, sugar, a bit of vanilla extract I had lying around, and some butter. Always gotta have butter, right? I grabbed my trusty medium-sized saucepan, the one that’s got a few battle scars but never lets me down. Measuring stuff out isn’t my strong suit, I usually just eyeball it, but this time I tried to be a bit more precise. Used a measuring cup for the milk and the farina, sort of.
Here’s roughly what I gathered:
- Milk, maybe 4 cups?
- Farina, maybe half a cup, maybe a bit more.
- Sugar, probably too much, let’s be honest.
- A splash of vanilla.
- A knob of butter.
The Cooking Part – Stirring and Hoping
Poured the milk into the saucepan. Added the sugar and butter, put it on the stove over medium heat. Waited for it to get warm, you know, just before it boils. Saw those little bubbles forming around the edge. Then came the tricky part – adding the farina. I tried to sprinkle it in slowly while whisking like mad. Emphasis on tried. It clumped up a bit at first, not gonna lie. Had a minor moment of panic, thinking I’d have lumpy pudding.
Kept whisking vigorously. Just kept going. My arm started to ache a little. The mixture slowly started to thicken up. It’s one of those things you gotta watch constantly, can’t just walk away. Turned the heat down low once it was looking thick, like a proper pudding consistency. Stirred in the vanilla right at the end. The smell was pretty good, actually. Sweet and comforting.
Pouring and Waiting – The Hardest Part
Then I poured the hot mixture into a shallow dish. Tried to smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Looked okay, I guess. Not perfectly smooth like you see in fancy pictures, but homemade, right? That’s the charm. Covered it loosely with some plastic wrap, pressing it down onto the surface so it wouldn’t form that weird skin. Then, into the fridge it went.
Waiting for it to set properly was torture. Every time I opened the fridge for something else, I’d poke it gently. Took a few hours, maybe three or four? It needed to be completely cold and firm.
The Result – Not Bad!
Finally, it was ready. I cut a slice, well, scooped out a portion really. It held its shape pretty well. I sprinkled a bit of cinnamon on top, ’cause why not? Took a bite. It was sweet, creamy, definitely hit that nostalgic spot. The texture was mostly smooth, despite the initial lump scare. Maybe a tiny bit too sweet, note to self for next time: ease up on the sugar. But overall? Yeah, I’d call it a success. Simple, satisfying, and used up that farina. Clean up wasn’t even that bad, soaked the pot right away. Job done.
