Keskul is a light, creamy Turkish Almond Pudding with a soft almond flavor and ground pistachios on top. We eat it cold, in small bowls, after dinner or with a glass of tea in the afternoon. You'll find it in every muhallebici in Turkey, and it's very easy to make at home.
There's no wheat flour in it, so it's naturally gluten free. You cook the milk, ground almonds and sugar in one saucepan for about 25 minutes, then leave it in the fridge to set. I usually make it the day before when we have people over.
It's the dessert I go for after a big Turkish meal, because it's much lighter than cake or pastry.
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What is Keskul?
Lots of countries have their own almond pudding, and Keskul is the Turkish version. It goes back to the Ottoman Empire, and it's still one of the classic milk desserts in Turkey. The Turkish spelling is keşkül, but you'll sometimes see it written as keshkul.
The name comes from keşkül-ü fukara, which means “poor man’s bowl.” These bowls were often made from coconut shells, and dervishes carried them to collect donations. They bought food with what they collected and shared it with people in need.
Why This Recipe Works?
- It cooks in about 25 minutes, and you don't need to turn on the oven.
- The ingredient list is short, and you can find everything at a big supermarket.
- You can make it a day ahead, so there's nothing left to do when your guests arrive.
- It's a good dessert for friends who can't eat gluten, because I thicken it with rice flour and cornstarch.
- Everyone gets their own little bowl, so it's easy to serve at a dinner party.
- It's creamy but not heavy, and I love it after a rich dinner.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Milk - I prefer whole milk for milk-based desserts, but you can substitute it with reduced-fat (2%) or skim milk.
- Vanilla paste - It is a great flavoring for milk-based desserts. Vanilla beans are the best option if you have them or you can use a good-quality vanilla extract.
- Ground almond - It is also called almond flour. You can buy it from most large supermarkets. Look for blanched almond flour, which is made from peeled almonds. If you use almond meal with the skins on, the pudding will be darker and a little grainy.
- Rice flour - It's what we use to thicken most Turkish milk puddings. You can find it in the baking or gluten free aisle of big supermarkets.
- Cornstarch - Cornstarch works with the rice flour to thicken the pudding. It helps the almond pudding set nicely once chilled.
- Egg yolk - I add one egg yolk for a richer, smoother pudding with a deeper yellow color.
- Desiccated coconut - It gives texture and flavor to the pudding. You can omit it and use coconut shavings for garnishing the top.
How to Make Keskul
Place the egg yolk, sugar, rice flour, and cornstarch in a saucepan and mix.
Pour in ½ cup (120 ml) of the milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Then stir in the rest.
Add the ground almonds and desiccated coconut to the saucepan, then mix well.
Put the pan on medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring continuously. Cook it until it thickens, then add the vanilla paste.
Dip a spoon in to check the thickness. The pudding should cover the back of it without dripping.
Take the pan off the heat and divide it between your serving bowls.
Chill the bowls in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours, until set. Just before serving, garnish them with ground pistachios, coconut flakes and red berries.
How To Get The Right Pudding Texture
The best Keskul should be creamy, smooth, and softly set. It should not be runny, but it should not be too firm either.
If the pudding is too thick, whisk in a little extra milk when it's still warm. Add it gradually until you reach the texture you like. If the pudding is too thin, mix a small amount of cornstarch with cold milk. Stir it into the pan and cook until it thickens.
The most important thing is to cook the pudding gently and stir continuously, especially once it starts to thicken. On high heat, it can stick to the bottom of the pan and burn, or turn lumpy.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Stir the pudding continuously as it cooks to keep it smooth.
- Cook it on medium-low heat and don’t let it boil hard.
- Whisk the egg yolk, sugar, rice flour, cornstarch, and a little milk first to prevent lumps.
- Adjust the thickness by adding more milk if it's too thick or adding cornstarch slurry if it is too thin.
- Add the vanilla near the end of cooking for the best flavor.
- Chill the pudding for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
- Garnish just before serving so the toppings stay fresh.
Variations
- Use almond milk instead of regular milk for a dairy-free version. It's vegan if you leave out the egg yolk.
- The traditional way is to use whole almonds. Soak them in hot water until the skins slip off, then grind them finely in a food processor.
- You can swap the ground almonds for ground hazelnuts.
- For pistachio keşkül, use ground pistachios instead of almonds. It comes out pale green.
- Replace some of the milk with heavy cream for a richer pudding.
How To Serve Keskul
Ground pistachios are the classic topping, but coconut flakes, chopped almonds, fresh raspberries, strawberries or pomegranate seeds all work well.
Serve Keskul on its own, or as part of a Turkish dessert table. It goes well with Lokma Dessert - Fried Sweet Dough Balls, Burma Baklava, Ayva Tatlisi, Un Helvası or Tel Kadayif.
If you like milk desserts, try Muhallebi - Turkish Milk Pudding, Sutlac, Tavuk Göğsü or Turkish Fig Pudding next.
Storage and Make Ahead
Keskul keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Let the puddings cool completely, then cover the bowls or transfer them to an airtight container before refrigerating. Leave the toppings off until you're ready to serve.
I don’t recommend freezing Keskul. The texture can change after defrosting, and the pudding may become grainy or watery.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, it's a good option if you can't have dairy. The texture may be slightly less rich than when made with whole milk, but it will still taste good.
Almond pudding can become lumpy if the starches are not mixed properly before cooking, or if the heat is too high. If small lumps appear, whisk it well or pour it through a fine mesh strainer into the bowls.
It usually means the pudding came off the heat before it was thick enough. Keskul needs the full chilling time to set, so don't serve it too early.
Both are Turkish milk puddings, but Keskul has ground almonds cooked into it. I also add an egg yolk and a little coconut to mine.
In Turkey, milk puddings are called sütlü tatlılar, which means milk desserts. The plainest one is Muhallebi.
Related Recipes
For more ideas, take a look at my 15 Homemade Turkish Desserts, or try one of these:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this scrumptious Turkish Almond Pudding "Keşkül" as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Keskul - Turkish Almond Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk (1 liter)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon rice flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- ½ cup ground almonds (50 g)
- ¼ cup desiccated coconut (20 g, optional)
- ground pistachios and red berries, to garnish
Instructions
- Place the egg yolk, sugar, rice flour and cornstarch in a saucepan and mix.
- Pour in ½ cup (120 ml) of the milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Then stir in the rest.
- Add the ground almonds and desiccated coconut to the saucepan, then mix well.
- Put the pan on medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring continuously.
- Cook it until it thickens, then add the vanilla paste.
- Dip a spoon in to check the thickness. The pudding should cover the back of it without dripping. Take the pan off the heat and divide it between your serving bowls.
- Chill the bowls in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours, until set. Just before serving, garnish them with ground pistachios, coconut flakes and red berries.
Notes
- Stir the pudding continuously as it cooks to keep it smooth.
- Cook it on medium-low heat and don’t let it boil hard.
- Whisk the egg yolk, sugar, rice flour, cornstarch, and a little milk first to prevent lumps.
- Adjust the thickness by adding more milk if it's too thick or adding cornstarch slurry if it is too thin.
- Add the vanilla near the end of cooking for the best flavor.
- Chill the pudding for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
- Garnish just before serving so the toppings stay fresh.
- Use almond milk instead of regular milk for a dairy-free version. It's vegan if you leave out the egg yolk.
- Keskul keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I don't recommend freezing it.
Lila says
I do love a light and flavorful dessert like this one! Perfect for summer parties too! Thanks for the recipe!