Pelamushi is born of the autumn grape harvest, made from badagi, the boiled-down grape must left over from winemaking, the same syrup that coats churchkhela. Pouring it thick into bowls to set was a way to capture the vintage's sweetness in solid form, a humble harvest dessert across Georgia's wine country.
Cool and firm on the spoon, it is gently sweet with a deep, raisiny grape flavor and a faint tannic edge. The texture is like a soft fruit jelly turned to pudding, the walnuts adding crunch and butteriness. Restrained and elegant, not cloying.
Starch from the flour or cornmeal gelatinizes in the hot grape must, trapping liquid into a firm sliceable gel, while boiling down the juice concentrates its natural sugars and grape flavor.
Variations
Cornmeal vs wheat flour set; with or without walnuts; cinnamon or vanilla added; sometimes dried into stiffer churchkhela-style coatings (in Kakheti the pudding itself is called tatara).
On the Palate
Where Pelamushi sits in the Georgian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
8 steps · 10 min
- 130 min
Boil down fresh red grape juice with a little sugar to concentrate it into badagi.
Watch outBoil the juice down until it's noticeably thicker and darker — that concentrating step is what deepens the whole pudding's flavor.
- 23 min
Whisk flour or fine cornmeal into a little cold grape juice to make a smooth slurry.
- 35 min
Bring the rest of the grape juice to a simmer in a heavy pot.
- 43 min
Whisk in the slurry steadily to avoid lumps.
Watch outPour the cold slurry in a steady stream while whisking hard — dump it in and you get lumps that won't smooth out.
- 515 min
Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a glossy, pourable pudding.
Watch outStir without stopping until it turns glossy and thick enough to mound on the spoon — that sheen means the starch has set.
- 62 min
Stir in chopped walnuts and a pinch of cinnamon if desired.
- 73 min
Pour into shallow bowls or molds and smooth the tops.
- 8120 min
Cool and chill until firmly set, then slice or spoon out.
Watch outChill until firm enough to slice cleanly — still wobbly and it won't hold its shape.
