Keskul is a creamy pudding made with rice flour and corn starch. It is flavored with almonds and garnished with ground pistachio. Perfect light dessert!
Turkish desserts are always irresistible! Milk based desserts have an importance role in the cuisine. Although sutlac is more famous around the world, this almond pudding is equally tasty and deserves more value.
Mom tells us that there weren’t big patisserie shops in Turkey in the past, there were just small pudding shops (muhallebici), which weren’t very big in number. Because these pudding shops were not very common, they were considered as special places for special events.
When people had an important meeting with friends, these pudding shops were their only choice. However, these pudding shops had a more important role in Turkish culture those times.
When a young man wanted to declare his love to a young woman, he would invite her to a pudding shop and the woman would understand that there would be some very exciting conversation when they met there. So these pudding shops were meeting point of lovers.
Pudding shops were known as small, cute and friendly places. People would enjoy their pudding in peace. Pudding (muhallebi), Turkish rice pudding (sütlaç) and keşkül were some of the dairy desserts they would serve. You can also find Ramadan güllaç at those shops. They wouldn’t serve other types of desserts, just the desserts made of milk.
Although we have numerous patisserie shops today, I’m not sure if they have the same friendly atmosphere. Today’s luxury patisserie shops serve various desserts, but they are not as important as the small pudding shops were for lovers.
The English pronounciation of keşkül may be something like this: kashkul
How to Make The Recipe
Put sugar and egg yolks in a pot and beat with an egg beater. Take about ¼ cup milk into a bowl and mix it with rice flour and corn starch. Put it aside.
Add the rest of the milk into the pot and go on beating. Put the pot it over the heat and boil it over medium heat and stir occasionally.
When it starts to boil, add the rice flour and starch mixture and beat it. Add peeled and crumbled almonds after 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and cream after a few minutes. Never stop stirring until it’s done.
When it gets thick enough, it’s time to take it from the heat. But how do we understand it’s thick ‘enough’? You can understand it with the help of the egg beater or a spoon. When you dip the spoon in it and take it out, if the pudding is not runny, if it drops little by little, it’s done.
Take it from heat and pour it in a jug so that it’s easier to pour them into small bowls or cups. Then pour the pudding into small cups one by one. If you see bubbles on their top, you are on the right path. Do not move these cups until keşkül gets cold.
When it’s cold enough, decorate the tops of keşkül with pistachio and whole almonds.
More Turkish Desserts
As always: If you make this recipe, let us know what you think by rating it and leaving a comment below. And post a pic on Instagram too—tag @give_recipe so we can see!
Sign up for the FREE GiveRecipe Newsletter to get the new recipes into your inbox! And stay in touch with us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram for all the latest updates.
📖 Recipe
Keskul - Turkish Almond Pudding Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 1 liter milk
- 1½ tablespoons rice flour
- 1½ tablespoons corn starch
- 3 medium egg yolks
- 100 g heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup almonds peeled and crumbled
- 1 tablespoon pistachios for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put sugar and egg yolks in a pot and beat with an egg beater. Take about ¼ cup milk into a bowl and mix it with rice flour and corn starch. Put it aside.
- Add the rest of the milk into the pot and go on beating. Put the pot on heat and bring it to boil, stirring occasionally. When it starts to boil, add the rice flour and starch mixture and whisk.
- Add peeled and crumbled almonds after 3 minutes. Add vanilla and cream after a few minutes. Never stop stirring until it’s done. When it gets thick enough, it’s time to take it from heat. You can understand it with the help of the egg beater or a spoon. When you dip the spoon in it and take it out, if the pudding is not runny, if it drops little by little, it’s done.
- Take it from the heat and pour it in a jug so that it’s easier to pour them into small bowls or cups. Then pour the pudding into small cups one by one. If you see bubbles on their top, you are on the right path.
- Do not move these cups until the pudding gets cold.
- When it’s cold enough, decorate the tops of keskul with pistachio, whole almonds and raisins.
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Stella says
Ooh, I want a handsome, Turkish stallion to profess his love for me in a pudding shop (smile)!
This sounds delicious by the way...
tasteofbeirut says
What fun to be invited to a pudding shop then ! Too bad they don't preserve the tradition and they prefer to go with Starbucks-like joints!
Love that pudding; in fact we make it too, just without any eggs.
Turkish Food Passion says
Merhaba Zerrin, keskul mukemmel gozukuyor. Hic yapmadigim bir tatli, ama bir gun deniyecegim. Ellerine saglik.
OysterCulture says
What a yummy sounding dessert - not too sweet but just darn tasty. I love the arrangement of toppings you added to this pudding.
How romantic this pudding shop rendezvous. When I finally make it to Turkey, I am going to take a seat and watch the action. This sounds like as much fun as people watching in Paris, if not more so.
Hope you are doing well, I imagine school is keeping you very busy.
Fearless Kitchen says
There was a pudding shop in a town I used to live in around here, but it never really took off. Maybe it would have done better if they'd served dishes like this! This looks delicious and I'll have to make it sometime soon.
touria says
merhaba zerrin
hmmm i like ur pudding my dear
so romantic the idea of pudding shops for lovers
kisses
Daily Spud says
Welcome back Zerrin!
I love the idea of the pudding shops - wish I could find one around here 🙂 The dessert also sounds gorgeous, will have to try it out sometime...
HoneyB says
welcome back!
I liked your story of the pudding shops! Sometimes I really long for things to be more like they were in the past.
Your pudding sounds and looks wonderful!
Faith says
I absolutely loved reading about the history of pudding shops! Your pudding is really beautiful, Zerrin. I love the decoration on top!
Cherine says
I love this pudding, yours looks absolutely beautiful and delicious!!
Gera @ SweetsFoodsBlog says
Welcome back, long time Zerrin! Beautiful the Keskul with almonds inside, totally yummy, a dessert for me 🙂
Cheers,
Gera
Juliana says
Wow, what a nice dessert...from the ingredients in it must taste delicious...love the picture as well...beautiful presentation 🙂
5 Star Foodie says
What a decadent dessert, I just love your topping decoration, beautiful!
jenn (Bread + Butter) says
I wish there was a pudding shop here in the states. maybe there is and I just don't know. 🙂 That that would be really cool though. Looks really delicious!! Something I can definitely get into for dessert.
Fuji Mama says
This sounds and looks phenomenal! I will be trying this soon. Thank you!