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Maizes zupa
Maizes zupa: Latvian rye bread dessert soup with dried fruit and whipped cream
Maizes zupa, 'bread soup', is Latvia's way of using up dark rye bread: the bread is soaked and cooked down with dried fruit, sugar and cinnamon into a thick, sweet, deep-brown pudding, cooled and topped with whipped cream. It is on the menu in Riga's canteen-style restaurants and in school lunches, and every Latvian grandmother has her own version. A common mistake is using light rye; it needs dense, dark Latvian or German-style rye for its malty taste. Chef's tip: add a squeeze of lemon and a spoon of cranberries; their sharpness lifts the sweet, heavy soup.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the soup
- 14 oz dark rye breaddried and torn
- 5 cups water
- 3 ½ oz sugar
- 2 ⅞ oz raisins
- 2 ⅞ oz pruneschopped
- 2 ⅛ oz dried apricotschopped
- 1 ¾ oz cranberriesfresh or dried
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
To serve
- ¾ cup double creamwhipped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Soak 14 oz dark rye bread in 5 cups water for 1 hour, until soft.
Step 2: Simmer with 3 ½ oz sugar and 1 cinnamon stick for 15 minutes, then push through a sieve or blend smooth.
15 minStep 3: Return to the pan with 2 ⅞ oz raisins, 2 ⅞ oz prunes, 2 ⅛ oz dried apricots and 1 ¾ oz cranberries and simmer for 15 minutes, until thick and the fruit is plump. Common mistake: light rye; it lacks depth.
15 minStep 4: Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice, remove the cinnamon and chill.
Step 5: Serve cold in bowls topped with ¾ cup double cream.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does maizes zupa take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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