This rich and creamy Turkish Fig Pudding recipe infused with butterscotchy dried figs is one of my favourite guilt-free desserts. And surprisingly it is only made with two main ingredients: dried figs and milk (yes, you heard it right, you only need two ingredients!)
This indulging creamy pudding is a traditional Turkish dessert, originally called "incir uyutması" which translates as "sleeping figs". It derives from the tradition of soaking figs in warm milk overnight, so the dessert can be enjoyed the next morning for breakfast. Today, this creamy fig pudding is often enjoyed as a dessert in many households in Turkey.
A version of this dessert, teleme, has been a popular goat herder’s snack for centuries in northeast Anatolia, Turkey. They’d milk their goats, add a few drops of sap from fresh figs to the milk, mix it for a few minutes and let it set into yoghurt. Then they would slice fresh figs in it. Our recipe uses cow's milk instead of goat's milk. But you can use goat's milk if it is easily in your reach.
How to Make Turkish Fig Pudding?
Although making this creamy fig pudding is quite easy, there are a few tips and tricks you can follow for the perfect results:
- Use the plumpest and soft dried figs you can find. It is better if you can find organic or naturally dried figs without any sulfites or other preservatives.
- The most important point in this recipe is the degree of the milk. The milk should not be too hot or too cold. We call this level of heating "fermentation level". If you have ever made homemade yoghurt, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. The milk should not be boiling. It should be warm enough that you can dip your pinky finger in the bowl without burning yourself.
- Make sure you blend the soaked dried figs very well. You wouldn't want lumps of figs in the pudding!
- For a richer, thicker pudding, you can substitute half of the milk with double cream.
- The pudding should be let to cool down and set for at least 6 hours. But the longer, the better. I usually keep them in the fridge overnight after leaving them at room temperature for 3 hours.
This fig pudding is a great dessert if you are trying to avoid sugar and flour and looking for some new sugar-free dessert ideas. Despite having only 2 ingredients, this fig pudding has a unique creamy texture with a little bit of crunchiness from the seeds of the dried figs. It actually feels too indulgent that it is difficult to believe the ingredient list!
I hope you enjoy the process of making this creamy Turkish Fig Pudding as much as you would enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
Turkish Fig Pudding (Incir Uyutmasi)
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
Ingredients
- 250 g dried figs (good quality, plump)
- 1 liter milk (warm)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 80 g crushed walnuts (for serving, optional)
- 5-6 teaspoon grape molasses (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Roughly chop each dried fig into about 6 pieces and soak them in warm water for an hour (or until figs are softened).
- Transfer the figs on a paper towel, leave them to drain for 10 minutes, then remove the stalks. Set them aside in a separate deep bowl.
- Heat the milk in a pan on low heat until it reaches a low simmer, being careful not to let the milk start to boil. The milk should be warm enough that you can put your finger in the pan without burning yourself. We call this level of heating "fermentation level". Turn off the heat when your milk is heated at this level.
- Then add 1 ladle of warm milk to the soaked figs and mix them into a purée using a hand-held blender. (If you don’t have a stick blender, pour the mixture into a blender and mix until smooth).
- Add the purée and one teaspoon of ground cinnamon into the milk and mix well until combined.
- Fill four small bowls with the fig purée. Cover the bowls with a towel (dish towel) and let them rest for 3 hours at room temperature. This is the fermentation stage of the pudding.
- After the fermentation, cover the bowls with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- You can serve the pudding with roughly chopped walnuts and a drizzle of grape molasses.
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
Ayla
I’ve been making this pudding every week for the past two months, and can’t get enough of it!
Suzanne
Such a delightful and guilt free recipe!