Wheat Berry Pudding with Walnuts - Koljivo

Wheat Berry Pudding is a decadent, simple dessert of cooked grain, walnuts, and sugar, with a warming aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg spice. It's one of the most iconic dishes in Serbian culture and cuisine.

Serbian traditions are often centered around wheat, known as Zito (Zhito) or Koljivo, from Easter to the Orthodox Christmas (Bozic).

The wheat symbolizes resurrection and eternal life. Thus, the wheatberry pudding is consumed among Orthodox Christians at funerals when holding memorials to honor those who've passed away and for Slava.

The Slava is an annual family event in which they pay tribute to their patron saint.

In addition to having a spiritual value for the family and guests of the celebration, the glorious wheat should be delicious to satisfy and obtain material and spiritual blessings.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions. However, there's important stuff to know before you scroll down.

What are Wheat Berries?

Wheat berries are a high-fiber whole grain containing bran and germ. They take longer to cook because they're not refined like flour or cereal grains such as rice stripped of their outer layer.

They pair well for sweet treats. Cooked berries have a chewy bite and a faint earthy, nutty flavor that will delight any palate.

This grain is filling and a great alternative to rice, quinoa, barley, and other grains in many recipes, including soups, stews, salads, and stir-fries.

Health Benefits

Wheat berries are a delicious and healthy way to get more protein, fiber, iron, and vitamin E. They're also rich in magnesium which can help you maintain strong bones and muscles!

Enjoy your serving size by the tablespoonful inside small serving dishes like custard cups, ice cream bowls, mason jars, or glasses. Don't forget some whipped cream too!

🛒 Ingredients and Notes

• Wheat Berries - any variety (hard, soft, red, white, spring, or winter) can be used interchangeably. Some recipes instruct soaking overnight, but it is not necessary. You can use cracked wheat or kamut berries instead. For gluten-free version, use buckwheat.
• Walnuts - halves or chopped; they will be ground either way.
• Powdered sugar - regular sugar works as well. Replace with coconut or sugar substitutes if you wish.
• Nutmeg and cinnamon. Some versions include ground cloves too.

👉 Variations

• Use different nuts: ground almonds, pecans, or cashews.
• You can sweeten the wheat with honey or maple syrup.
• Mix in orange zest or peel.
• Add dried fruits like raisins, sultanas, and chopped figs or apricots.
• More modern versions include chocolate chips or crushed candy.
• A pinch of ground cloves will intensify the cozy and warm essence of this sweet pudding.
• You can add a splash of vanilla extract or even spiced rum.
• Serve with a generous amount of whipped cream or ice cream, except during the lent.

🔪 Instructions

1. Rinse the berries with warm water.
2. In a saucepan, bring wheat berries, water, and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.
3. In a food processor, grind the wheat, sugar, walnuts, nutmeg, and cinnamon until combined.

Instant Pot Instructions:

The Instant Pot is an innovative, easy-to-use device that cooks food quickly and efficiently with the touch of one button.

1. Rinse the berries with warm water and drain.
2. In your pressure cooker, combine the berries, salt, and water. Close the lid, set the valve on "sealing," and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
3. Do quick-release by turning the steam release handle from "Sealing" to the "Venting" position.
4. Proceed with steps 4-7 of the recipe card below.

You can also cook them in your slow cooker/crockpot on high for 4 hours.

Wheat berry pudding dessert is also a tradition in other cultures worldwide:

• For example, Russian Christmas porridge is called kolivo or sochivo, sometimes served warm and sometimes chilled.
• Ukraine and Poland have kutya or kutia. Polish version includes poppy seeds, which symbolize abundance and fertility.
• In Greek tradition, the wheat (kollyva or koulevo) is often dusted with powdered sugar or ground nuts and decorated with pomegranate berries, sunflower kernels, sesame seeds, or whole nuts like pistachios, cashews, and almonds.
• Other countries with various alternate spellings include Romania - coliva, Lithuania - kucia, Bulgaria - koliva, and Slovakia - koljivo.
• Besides being popular across Eastern Europe and Slavic countries of the Balkan Peninsula, wheat dessert is loved as Kahmieh in the Middle East, Ashora in Egypt, and anoushabour in Armenia.

🍽 How To Serve It

Here are some ways to enjoy prepared wheat berries:

• Breakfast: Mix warm wheat grains with honey, brown sugar, dried fruits, and nuts, and spoon over with vanilla yogurt or some milk.
• Side dish: A delicious side dish dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper and infused with garlic, dried sage, and thyme.
• Soup: Cook into a hearty chicken soup instead of barley. 
• Main dish: Simply replace the rice in your recipes with the cooked wheat berries.
• Salad: Top leafy salad with cold or warm berries and add fresh herbs and vegetables. Sub the quinoa with wheat berries in this Grek salad.

Meal Prep Tip:

The easy way to get a healthy and tasty meal on the table in minutes is with whole grains. You can prep them ahead, add them as toppings for salads and bowls.

Cook them in other foods like soups, or serve them at breakfast time! They're delicious with some milk, honey, and cinnamon.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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