Feb 26, 2020

Creamy Millet Pudding with Pistachios & Rum Soaked Raisins

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
This millet pudding is based on a recipe from a restaurant, Aestus, in Santa Monica, The creamy, chilled mixture was not overly sweet and came topped with pistachios and rum-soaked raisins.
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My husband and I used to go to a little French restaurant in Santa Monica called Aestus for frequent low-key date nights. We would sit at the bar and split a bottle of wine, a cheeseboard and for dessert we would always order their millet pudding. But even though Aestus is closed, I still think about their millet pudding – the creamy, chilled mixture was not overly sweet and came topped with pistachios and rum-soaked raisins. It’s like a creamy twist on rice pudding.

Creamy Millet Pudding with Pistachios & Rum Soaked Raisins

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

  • Millet – Millet is a seed from Africa and Northern China. This naturally gluten-free ancient grain has a mild corn flavor. It’s cooked to the consistency of oatmeal then once it’s cooled it’s folded with a rich whipped cream.
  • Heavy cream – I add heavy cream, the thick part of the milk that rises to the top due to its high fat content to the grains to create a twist on classic rice pudding.
  • Pistachios – Pistachios are actually the seed of a plant belonging to the cashew family rather than a nut. They come in shells which are easily peeled away to reveal mild, slightly soft and sweet meat.
Creamy Millet Pudding with Pistachios & Rum Soaked Raisins in glasses

How to Make Creamy Millet Pudding

  1. Toast the millet. In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the millet and toast it, stirring frequently until the grains begin to pop, about 3 minutes.
  2. Make the pudding. Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, cardamom and salt and bring to a simmer then lower heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until thick and creamy, about the consistency of oatmeal, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from heat, place in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
  3. Soak the raisins in rum. Add the golden raisins and rum to a small bowl and let sit for about 1 hour. Drain the rum and set aside the raisins until ready to use.
  4. Fold in heavy cream and chill. Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form then fold the millet pudding into the whipped cream. Divide into ramekins or small bowls using a spoon or ladle and refrigerate until chilled through, at least an hour and up to overnight.
  5. Assemble and serve. Serve topped with honey, rum soaked raisins, pistachios and rose petals (if using).
Creamy Millet Pudding with Pistachios & Rum Soaked Raisins

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this millet pudding recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

Creamy Millet Pudding with Pistachios & Rum Soaked Raisins-28.jpg

Creamy Millet Pudding with Pistachios & Rum Soaked Raisins

Print Pin
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup whole grain millet
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup rum
  • cups heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ cup chopped pistachios, for serving
  • 1 tablespoon crushed rose petals, optional

Instructions:

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the millet and toast it, stirring frequently until the grains begin to pop, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, cardamom and salt and bring to a simmer then lower heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until thick and creamy, about the consistency of oatmeal, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from heat, place in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
  • Add the golden raisins and rum to a small bowl and let sit for about 1 hour. Drain the rum and set aside the raisins until ready to use.
  • Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form then fold the millet pudding into the whipped cream. Divide into ramekins or small bowls using a spoon or ladle and refrigerate until chilled through, at least an hour and up to overnight.
  • Serve topped with honey, rum soaked raisins, pistachios and rose petals (if using).

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  1. This was really good! I’ve never had millet before and this recipe looked gorgeous. I ended up leaving it in the fridge over night to settle and cool more and it tasted far superior with more time. I love getting to try new foods and Kylies my go-to for recipes 🙂 also I used rum extract instead of rum and it worked out really well. I put mine in mason jars.

  2. Oh my goodness! Since I have to be gluten free, this is perfect for company. My question is whether the millet you are using is the same as millet flour? I looked at my stone ground millet flour, and I am pretty sure it doesn’t look like your millet. Thanks.