Food coverage is supported by a generous donation from Susan and Moses Libitzky.
Just in time for Rosh Hashanah, here is an apple and honey dessert with a distinctive flavor.
Jews from Cochin (now known as Kochi) in Kerala, a southern Indian state, have traditionally served a long-cooked fruit confection for the holiday.
Called meruba, it is served as part of the Rosh Hashanah ritual of eating a new fruit and reciting the Shehechiyanu. It also inspired my recipe for this column.
When the Apples in Honeyed Syrup Compote are paired with the creamy, dairy-free Coconut Milk Rice Pudding, it makes for a High Holiday dessert full of flavor and sweet wishes for the New Year.
After you prepare both parts of the recipe and are ready to serve it, spoon the warm or room-temperature compote over the rice pudding, which can be any temperature, from chilled to hot. Garnish as desired with toasted slivered almonds, coconut flakes, chopped dates, cinnamon and/or chopped mint. You can also serve the compote without the rice pudding, pouring it over slices of toasted pound cake or scoops of coconut dairy or nondairy ice cream.
Apples in Honeyed Syrup Compote
with Coconut Milk Rice Pudding
Serves 6 to 8
Apples in Honeyed Syrup Compote
- 2 medium (about 10 oz. total) Pink Lady, Gala, Fuji or similar apples
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, divided
- 1½ cups mild honey, such as clover or orange blossom
- ½ cup unsweetened apple juice
- ¼ cup water
- ⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp. ground cardamom
Do not peel apples. Core and cut into chunks, each about ¼ to ½ inch. Toss with 2 Tbs. lemon juice. Can be made a few hours ahead — keep at room temperature, tossing occasionally to keep apples from browning.
Place honey, apple juice, water, cinnamon, cardamom and 2 Tbs. lemon juice in a small saucepan. Stir well. Do not cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until honey is dissolved. Adjust heat to keep at a boil and cook, uncovered and without stirring, for about 15 minutes until syrup begins to thicken.
Drain apple chunks (discard juice) and stir chunks into syrup. Return syrup with apples to a boil and cook another 10 minutes until the syrup itself is reduced by about a quarter and the apples are tender but not mushy.
Cool to warm or room temperature (syrup will continue to thicken). Store in refrigerator for up to one week. Bring to room temperature or warm on low heat before using.
Coconut Milk Rice Pudding
- 2 cans regular coconut milk, 13.5 oz. each (see note)
- Water as needed
- ¾ cup uncooked white basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp. ground cloves
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped, pitted dates
- ½ cup toasted, slivered almonds
Shake coconut milk cans well. Pour into a 4-cup liquid measuring beaker or jug, scraping in any solidified bits. Stir vigorously. Add water until there are 4 total cups of liquid. Pour into a large saucepan.
Stir in drained rice, sugar, salt, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently. Lower heat to keep at simmer and simmer uncovered, stirring often, until rice is tender and pudding is thickened but still creamy, about 25 minutes. (If too dry, stir in ¼ cup of water as needed. If too thin, simmer longer.)
Stir in vanilla. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in dates and almonds.
Transfer pudding to a large serving bowl or 6 to 8 small dishes. Serve hot, warm, room temperature or chilled. Refrigerate for up to 1 day. Reheat if desired.
Note: For best results, do not use low-fat coconut milk.