A northern German cold red-berry pudding made from raspberries, red currants, strawberries, and cherries, lightly thickened and served chilled. It is traditionally pooled with cold vanilla sauce, cream, or milk and eaten as a summer dessert.
A classic dessert of northern Germany and neighboring Denmark, Rote Grütze is a fruit dish made from red berries and juice, thickened and served cold, often with cream or vanilla sauce.
Cool, jewel-bright, and tangy-sweet, bursting with the fresh flavor of summer berries. A pour of cold vanilla sauce softens the tartness into something silky and refreshing.
A small amount of cornstarch gelatinizes when heated in the fruit juice, lightly setting the compote without masking the fresh berry flavor as it chills.
Variations
Grüne Grütze with gooseberries, with semolina instead of starch, served warm, topped with quark
On the Palate
Where Rote Grütze sits in the German flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 18 min
Combine red currants, raspberries, strawberries, and pitted cherries with red fruit juice.
- 25 min
Bring the fruit and juice gently to a simmer with sugar to taste.
Watch outBring it just to a bare simmer — a hard boil breaks the berries to mush and dulls the fresh fruit taste.
- 32 min
Stir cornstarch into a little cold juice until smooth.
- 44 min
Whisk the slurry into the simmering fruit and cook briefly until glossy and thickened.
Watch outWhisk in the cold slurry and cook only until it turns from cloudy to glossy and just coats a spoon — overcooking thins it back out.
- 55 min
Remove from the heat and let the warm compote settle.
- 620 min
Pour into bowls or a mold and cool to room temperature.
- 7120 min
Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator until set and cold.
Watch outChill until fully cold and just set — it firms up as it cools, so it should wobble softly, not stay soupy.
- 82 min
Serve with cold vanilla sauce, cream, or a splash of milk.
