Keskul - Turkish Almond Pudding

Keskul is a light and creamy Turkish Almond Pudding made with milk, rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, and ground almonds.

This delicious Turkish dessert is similar to Muhallebi - Mahalabia Dessert and is traditionally served in small bowls, garnished with ground pistachios, red fruits, or coconut shavings.

Keşkül is definitely one of the tastiest milk-based puddings in Turkish cuisine.

Also, this indulgent Turkish dessert is very easy to make and comes together in just 25 minutes.

Same as Sutlac - Turkish Rice Pudding, Kazandibi, Ayva Tatlisi - Turkish Quince Dessert, and Turkish Fig Pudding - Incir Uytmasi, it is perfect to serve for dinner parties as well as for a weekday family meal.

What is Keskul?

Keşkül is a milk-based pudding from Turkish Cuisine, dating back to the Ottoman Empire.

The meaning of the name is "beggars bowl", the bowl used for collecting donations by dervishes.

The collected donations would then be used to buy groceries for making this milk pudding and served to the poor again in the same bowls.

Therefore, the name of the pudding eventually got the name of the bowl, "keşkül", coming from the old Ottoman saying, “Keşkül-e-Fugara (Poor Man’s Beggar Bowl)”.

Why This Recipe Works?

• It is extremely easy to prepare this light and creamy Turkish dessert with a few ingredients you might have in your fridge/pantry.

• Just like Tavuk Göğsü - Turkish Chicken Breast Pudding, you can prepare this delicious almond pudding in advance, it tastes even better after a day or two!

• Keskul is perfect for sudden sweet cravings, Keskul will be ready in just 25 minutes.

Ingredients and Substitutes

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 full-fat milk for milk-based desserts but you can substitute it with semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. You can use almond milk if you have a dairy intolerance.

• 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.

• Corn starch - Same as rice flour, it is used for thickening the pudding.

• Egg yolk - It gives a more decadent tasting, velvety smooth pudding, and a deeper yellow color that is more appetizing.

• 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?

Making Keskul - Turkish Almond Pudding is very easy and straightforward.

However, you need to follow a few simple steps and tips to achieve the best results:

Place the egg yolk, sugar, rice flour, and cornstarch in a saucepan and mix.

Add ½ cup of milk to the mix and continue beating until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.

Mix in the remaining milk.

Add the ground almond and desiccated coconut to the saucepan, and mix well.

Place the saucepan on low-medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring continuously.

Cook the mixture for a few more minutes and then add the vanilla paste.

When the pudding gets thick enough, remove the pan from the heat and divide the mixture into serving bowls.

You can check the consistency of the pudding with a spoon.

It should be covering the back of the spoon without dripping.

Let the bowls chill in the fridge for a couple of hours and then garnish them with ground pistachio, coconut flakes, and red fruits before serving.

Top Tips From the Chef

• Make sure to stir the pudding continuously on low heat without letting it boil.

• Adjust the thickness by adding more milk if it's too thick or adding cornstarch slurry if it is too thin.

• Turn this delicious pudding into vegan by omitting the egg yolk and using almond milk instead of regular milk

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious Turkish Desserts why not try:

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 milk dessert "Keşkül" as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun! 

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