Anise Pineapple Barley Mousse

One fruit that is always ‘in season’ is pineapple. You can count on these spiky beauties to help brighten up winter, especially when you’ve tired of apples and pears.

When it comes to barley recipes, pudding may not be the first thing that springs to mind. But combined with pineapple and anise, this humble grain is transformed into a comforting, yet exotic mousse, with a zingy fruit flavor and a creamy texture.

One of the oldest of all cultivated grains, the whole barley grain is vastly under-used compared to its more commercially successful but nutritionally poorer cousin, whole wheat.

I have always had a love for barley in anything. Whether its used in savory or sweet recipes, that mild nutty flavor and soft chewy texture make it so appealing. Another favorite of mine, is the flavor of anise. Its slight sweetness adds a complexity and an interesting dimension to otherwise ‘ordinary’ recipes.

This simple little mousse makes such a nice little winter dessert …. no fuss, no muss!

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Anise Pineapple Barley Mousse
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Rating: 5
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Servings
SERVINGS
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. In a large saucepan, combine barley & water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer; cover & cook for 40 minutes; drain & chill.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, pineapple, lemon juice, rum extract, anise powder & pudding mix. Stir in chilled barley until evenly coated.
  3. Prepare Dream Whip topping as directed on package & fold into barley mixture. Divide between serving dishes. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Recipe Notes
  • This recipe is easily halved if you need less servings.

Baked Barley Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Barley was traditionally used to add bulk and a comforting flavor to stews and broths. The gentle flavor of this grain makes it endlessly adaptable. I have often substituted it for rice in main course dishes but it is definitely dessert worthy too.

Like rice pudding, its a comforting (old fashioned) dish. Barley stays chewy compared to how soft rice becomes even after a few days in the fridge. Now, don’t get me wrong … I love rice pudding and of course its one of those desserts that holds nostalgic memories for me.

Barley was a grain crop my father grew on our family farm. As Canadians, we are blessed with some of the most fertile farmland in the world. Our province of Alberta, along with the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, are the major growing areas for barley in Canada.

Having such great nutritional value and versatility, barley deserves much more culinary acclaim than it receives, I think. This barley pudding is best served warm. I chose to make a simple caramel sauce to drizzle over it. In the whipped topping MIX, I used 1% milk and added a tiny bit of anise flavor for interest. Yum!

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Baked Barley Pudding with Caramel Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Servings
Ingredients
Course dessert
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Barley Pudding
  1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil; add barley & 1 tsp salt. Reduce heat, cover & simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender. Cool.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, butter & vanilla; beat well. Add cooked barley, raisins, lemon zest & juice.
  3. Preheat oven to 325 F. Turn pudding into a well buttered, 6-cup baking dish. Set pan into a larger baking pan in oven. Pour hot water into the larger pan to within an inch of the top of the pudding. Bake for an hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm as is or with caramel sauce & anise topping.
Caramel Sauce
  1. In a small saucepan, add sugar & cornstarch. Pour in a little of the hot water & whisk quickly to blend. Over a low heat, add the rest of the water, butter, salt & rum extract. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Prepare dry whipped topping mix if using.