Mutti's Rote Grütze ~ Fruit Pudding Recipe

by: Gerhild Fulson  /  Cookbook Author, Blogger, German Oma!

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This fruit pudding recipe, the original Rote Grütze, is one of Schleswig-Holstein's traditional desserts.  It could also be described as Germany's national dessert! 

Traditionally made with just fresh red currants or a combination of red currants and raspberries, there are many variations possible. You can always use a mix of fruits or just stay with one type.

Some of these possibilities are ripe berries, such as strawberries, red or black currants, raspberries, cherries, cranberries, and even rhubarb can be used.

What do you do with Rote Grütze?

• It's served over cream or custard. It's also great layered in a glass with cottage cheese, "Quark", or even yogurt.
• Put it over ice cream. Be creative.
• Traditionally, this fruit pudding recipe is served with vanilla sauce. Above, made with red currants and sour cherries, it's poured over vanilla custard.

Rote Grütze at the Hallig

My favorite memories of this dessert are very recent. Our friends took us on a "must do" excursion: taking a walk to a Hallig which is part of the Schleswig-Holstein's Wattenmeer National Park.

This was a 6 km. walk from the beach to the Hallig (island) following the tide that was going out.

Hiking barefoot through the wet sand and navigating around the little sea creatures such as stingrays and areas of sharp shells, was quite an adventure.

Once on the Hallig, we rested with a cup of coffee and Rote Grütze, all the while keeping our eyes on the clock. Rested and nicely filled, we quickly hiked back to the mainland before the tide came back in.

My Mutti had this as well in her cookbook and my Papa's Mutti as well. She used freshly picked sour cherries for hers and served them with Griessknödel. :)

Need that “all’s good with the world” feeling? Comfort food will do that. Get your copy of Oma's German favorites in her Comfort Foods e-Cookbook.

Take a peek at all Oma's eCookbooks. They make sharing your German heritage a delicious adventure!

Oma says,

I've been asked, "Why bother draining the fruit and then adding the fruit back to the sauce?"

Well, let's say you decide not to drain it and continue with the recipe, adding the corn starch, stirring until done. It'll still taste good, but looks more like a stewed fruit pudding with the fruit all broken and mushy.

Draining and then thickening (and cooking) the sauce and THEN returning the softened, but whole, fruit back to the sauce, leaves the fruit whole. It just gives a great "mouth feel", looks pretty, and is traditional.

Want to save time and work? Then leave out the "drain, strain, and return" steps!

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Print Recipe

Mutti's Rote Grütze ~ Fruit Pudding Recipe

This fruit pudding recipe, the original Rote Grütze, is one of Schleswig-Holstein's traditional desserts.  It could also be described as Germany's national dessert! 

Traditionally made with just fresh red currants or a combination of red currants and raspberries, there are many variations possible.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ripe fruit, using at least 2 types (see hints below)
• 3 cups water
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• granulated sugar as needed

Instructions:

1. Wash and prepare fruit. If using cherries, remove pits. If using rhubarb, cut into large dice.
2. In a large pot, combine fruit and water. Cook over low heat until fruit is tender.
3. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and place over large bowl. Pour cooked fruit into sieve. Do not crush fruit. Put fruit into large serving dish.
4. Add water to juice to make 1 quart (1 litre) and bring to boil over medium heat.
5. Mix cornstarch with a bit of cold water. Add to hot juice, stirring constantly.
6. Sweeten with sugar if needed. Pour thickened juice over fruit.
7. Sprinkle lightly with sugar to prevent a skin from forming on surface.
8. Serve over pudding, iced cream, etc.

Notes/Hints:

• Use ripe berries, such as strawberries, red or black currants, raspberries, cherries, cranberries.
• Refrigerate any leftovers. To use, heat gently to thin the sauce. 

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Fruit Pudding Recipe - Rote Grütze made Just like Oma



By Oma Gerhild Fulson





This fruit pudding recipe, the original Rote Grütze, is one of Schleswig-Holstein's traditional desserts. Now it's found throughout Germany. And at our house in Canada!


Ingredients: fruit, sugar, cornstarch,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

Let's connect...

Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.