Whipped cranberry semolina porridge (vispipuuro)

Whipped berry porridge, known as vispipuuro in Finnish, is one of my favourite Nordic dishes – be it for breakfast, as a midday snack, at a Nordic fair, or as a version of berry power bowls.

Whipped cranberry semolina porridge (vispipuuro) Credit: Sini Ellen

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

 It’s typically made with lingonberries, which are a Nordic (or at least a European) thing, so I’ve recreated this old favourite with cranberries (or there’s always IKEA!). Both the taste and colour are almost identical to the more traditional version. Well, at least sans the toppings, which I’ve added for texture, flavour and a modern twist.

Ingredients

• 800 ml water
• 250 g (2 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries (see note)
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 110 g (½ cup) white sugar, plus extra to taste
• 120 g coarse semolina (see note)
• milk, to serve
• fresh berries, coconut flakes and bee pollen, to serve (optional)

Cooling time 30 minutes

Instructions

Combine the water and cranberries in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the berries start to break down. Add the salt and sugar, and stir until dissolved. Gradually whisk in the semolina and cook, stirring constantly, for 5-10 minutes or until thickened. Add more sugar to sweeten, if desired. Remove the pan from the heat and let the porridge cool to room temperature.

Using an electric mixer, whisk the porridge until light and fluffy. (The colour will turn from magenta to light pink.)

Serve porridge cold or at room temperature drizzled with milk and scattered with fresh berries, coconut flakes and bee pollen, if desired. The porridge will keep in the fridge for 2–3 days. For the perfect texture, whisk it again before serving.

Notes

• Fresh cranberries are not commonly available in Australia. Frozen cranberries are available from selected supermarkets.

• Feel free to add more sugar to taste, but cooling the porridge is crucial – you won't be able to whip it probably if it's warm.

• In Scandinavia, farina – milled soft wheat grain – is used. It’s similar to semolina, which is milled from hard durum wheat, and has been substituted for availability.

Recipe from My Blue&White Kitchen by Sini Ellen, with photography by Sini Ellen.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

 It’s typically made with lingonberries, which are a Nordic (or at least a European) thing, so I’ve recreated this old favourite with cranberries (or there’s always IKEA!). Both the taste and colour are almost identical to the more traditional version. Well, at least sans the toppings, which I’ve added for texture, flavour and a modern twist.