Hello everyone! Today we are learning how to make kissel.

Word “kissel” (pronounced in Russian as “kee-sel”) originates from Russian verb “kvasit”, which means “make sour”. Kissel has been an integral part of traditional Russian cuisine for a long time. Before 19th-century kissels were usually grain-based and thick. Popular oatmeal kissel while cooled off has been so thick that it could be cut with a knife! Such thick kissels were usually served with hemp or sunflower oil.

It is usually prepared from fresh berries, juices, syrup, and milk with the addition of some starch. The density of kissel (thick, medium or very liquid) depends on the amount of added starch. For thick kissel you can use 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup or 60 grams) of starch per pint, 2 tablespoons (35 grams) would get you medium consistency and 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) would keep your kissel very liquid.

Thick or medium kissels can be served as a separate dessert while liquid ones are often used as sauces for various sweet casseroles and grits-based dishes. Once cooked, thick kissel is poured out into pans and cooled off. It can be served with syrup, jam, milk or cream.

“Kissel” – Fruit Drink, Dessert

Type of starch used depends on what your kissel is based on. If you use berries, utilize potato starch, if you make milk-based kissel, use corn starch. Initially, starch is diluted in cold water and then poured into boiling syrup. You start the process with making juice, then boiling it to the syrup consistency, adding diluted starch, then juice and, finally, cooling off. To avoid the formation of the membrane on the surface of your kissel adds a bit of sugar into it.

This concludes our recipe for today. Happy kissel making!

“Kissel” – Fruit Drink, Dessert