Alright, let’s talk about what I whipped up in the kitchen today. Had this box of farina sitting in the pantry for a bit, you know, the Cream of Wheat stuff. Usually, I just make it for breakfast, plain and simple. But today, I felt like trying something different, something sweet. A dessert.
Getting Started
So, I decided to make a kind of farina pudding or cake. Didn’t have a super specific recipe in mind, more like winging it based on things I’ve made before. First things first, I gathered what I thought I’d need:
- The farina, obviously.
- Milk. Whole milk, because why not go all out for a dessert.
- Sugar. Regular white sugar.
- An egg. Just one, for richness.
- Some butter.
- Vanilla extract. Gotta have vanilla.
- A pinch of salt. Always need salt to balance the sweet.
Pretty basic stuff, right? That’s what I like about these simple desserts. No need for fancy ingredients most of the time.
The Cooking Part
I grabbed a medium saucepan. Poured in about, I’d say, three cups of milk. Turned the heat on medium. While it was warming up, I tossed in maybe half a cup of sugar and that pinch of salt. Gave it a stir just to get the sugar dissolving.
You have to be careful not to scald the milk, so I kept the heat moderate. Once it looked warm, just before boiling, I started slowly sprinkling in the farina. Maybe two-thirds of a cup? I didn’t measure exactly, just went by feel. The key thing here is whisking constantly. Seriously, if you stop, you get lumps. Nobody wants lumpy pudding. So I whisked and whisked as I added the farina.
It starts thickening up pretty fast. You keep stirring it over medium-low heat. Let it bubble gently for a couple of minutes. You want that raw grain taste cooked out. I kept stirring, scraping the bottom of the pot too, so it wouldn’t stick.
While that was simmering away, I cracked the egg into a small bowl and whisked it lightly. Now, the tricky part. You don’t want scrambled eggs in your dessert. So, I took the pot off the heat for a moment. Then, I scooped a little bit of the hot farina mixture into the bowl with the egg, whisking the egg quickly. This tempers the egg, gets it used to the heat. I added another spoonful of the hot stuff to the egg, still whisking. Then, I poured the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the farina, whisking like crazy the whole time. Put it back on low heat for just another minute, stirring constantly.
Finally, turned off the heat. Stirred in a knob of butter, maybe a tablespoon, and a splash of vanilla extract. Gave it one last good stir.
The Result
I poured the whole thing into a small glass baking dish. It looked smooth and creamy. The smell was nice, warm, milky, with that hint of vanilla. I let it cool down on the counter for a while, then popped it into the fridge to set properly. You could eat it warm, I guess, but I prefer these kinds of puddings chilled.
Later on, I cut a piece out. It set up nicely, kind of like a thick custard or a soft cake. It was sweet, creamy, very comforting. Simple, but really hit the spot. Didn’t even need anything on top, though maybe some cinnamon or fruit would be nice next time.
Overall, it was a success. Super easy to make, used basic ingredients I already had. A good way to use up farina if you’re looking for something beyond breakfast porridge. Definitely worth trying if you want a simple, old-fashioned kind of dessert.
