Kisel (Russian Berry Starch Pudding)
Local name: Кисель
In short: A silky Russian berry dessert thickened with potato starch, served chilled as a soft jelly or made thinner as a drink. It takes about 25 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Resting
- 2 h
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 150 kcal
Kisel is an old Russian berry dish thickened with potato starch, somewhere between a drink and a pudding. Cooked fruit juice turns glossy and silky once the starch is stirred in, and it can be thin enough to sip or set firm enough to eat with a spoon. This version is spoonable and served chilled. It is easy to make from fresh or frozen berries.
Instructions
- Put the berries and the 700 ml of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until the berries burst.
- Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a clean pan, pressing the berries lightly. Keep a few whole berries aside if you want some texture, and discard the rest.
- Add the 80 g of sugar and the lemon juice and bring back to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Stir the potato starch into the cold water until smooth, with no lumps.
- Stir the hot juice constantly while you pour in the starch mixture in a thin stream. Keep stirring over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until it thickens and the first bubble appears. Take it off the heat at once.
- Pour into 4 glasses or bowls, drop in any reserved berries and sprinkle the surface with a little of the extra sugar to prevent a skin. Cool, then chill for at least 2 hours.
- Serve cold, with a few fresh berries on top if you like.
Tips
- Always mix the starch with cold water, never hot, or it clumps. Pour it in slowly while stirring and stop heating as soon as it thickens, because long boiling thins it again.
- For a thinner, drinkable kisel, use 2 tablespoons of starch for the same amount of liquid. Cranberries, cherries and blackcurrants give the best color.
Questions and answers
Is kisel a drink or a dessert?
Both. Thinner kisel is drunk from a glass, while thicker kisel is set in a bowl and eaten with a spoon.
Can I use cornstarch instead of potato starch?
Yes, use the same amount. Potato starch gives a clearer, glossier kisel, while cornstarch can look slightly cloudier.
How long does kisel keep?
Covered in the fridge it keeps for up to 3 days. If it has set very firm, stir it gently before serving or eat it as a soft jelly.
How long does it take to make Kisel (Russian Berry Starch Pudding)?
About 25 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kisel (Russian Berry Starch Pudding)?
About 150 kcal per serving, with 1 g of protein, 37 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 150 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 30 g |
| Sodium | 5 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
