Sweet Kugel (Noodle Pudding)

Apr 24, 2025 | Americas, Dessert, Fusion & Jewish

 

A slice of noodle kugel

Sweet Kugel (Noodle Pudding)

Jessica Wilson, United States
This is one of my favorite dishes that my mom used to make. I've added my own twists to it that have gotten rave reviews from friends.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Jewish
Servings 15 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup raisins I prefer golden raisins, but black are also commonly used.
  • 16 ounces wide egg noodles
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 8 ounces cottage cheese For this recipe, I like to use cottage cheese with pineapple in it.
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened - OR farmer's cheese crumbled (1 cup)
  • 1 cup applesauce optional, but I love it to enhance the sweetness
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup butter melted
  • ¼ teaspoon salt if desired – I don't use it.
  • Cinnamon or nutmeg for dusting
  • Nonstick cooking oil spray

Instructions
 

  • Place a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
  • Cover the raisins with hot water and let them soak to plump while you prepare the other ingredients.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles to the pot, bring back to a boil, and let them cook until tender (not overly soft), about 5 minutes. Drain and return the cooked noodles to the pot.
  • Either in a food processor or blender, OR by hand, blend together the eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, applesauce, sugar, melted butter, and salt.
  • Pour the egg mixture over the cooked noodles in the pot and stir until well combined.
  • Drain the raisins. Stir them into the noodles.
  • Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking oil. Pour the noodle mixture into the dish.
  • Bake the kugel for about 60 minutes, until the center of the kugel is set and the tips of the noodles turn golden brown. Remove from the oven.
  • If desired, sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg on the top for some flavor and nice color.
  • Let the kugel rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. Kugel can be served warm or cold.

Notes

One year I decided to make kugel for my coworkers. I prepared it the night before and stuck the uncooked mix into the fridge. In the morning, first thing, I put it in the oven to cook while I showered and dressed. When it was done, I reached into my alphabetized spice cabinet for the cinnamon. I said to myself, "I'm going to use a lot because it's the holidays and cinnamon is nice, and isn't that a really red batch of cinnamon coming out of the jar!" Turns out, I accidentally used cayenne pepper instead. A lot. So don't do that.
Keyword Jewish, kugel, noodle, pudding

Pudim, or Brazilian Flan

Apr 24, 2025 | Americas, Dessert, Latin American

pudim or brazilian flan

Pudim, or Brazilian Flan

Cleise Caetano, Brazil
My family's favorite dessert
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Latin American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs plus 5 yolks
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • ½ cup whole milk (half-and-half or 2% milk may be substituted but do not use skim milk)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon Disaronno liquor
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

Caramel

  • Stir together the sugar and ¼ cup water in a small heavy saucepan until the sugar is completely moistened.
  • Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until the mixture begins to turn golden.
  • Gently swirling the pan, continue to cook until sugar is a honey color. Remove from the heat and swirl the pan until the sugar is reddish-amber and fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds.
  • Carefully swirl in 2 tablespoons of warm tap water until incorporated – be careful as the mixture will bubble and steam. This whole process should take less than 10 minutes.
  • Pour the caramel into an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan; do not scrape out the saucepan. Set the pan aside.

Other Ingredients

  • Whisk the eggs and yolks in large bowl until combined.
  • Add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, vanilla, Disaronno, and salt and whisk until incorporated.
  • Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl to remove any bits of egg; then pour the strained custard into the pan over the caramel.
  • Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.

Baking

  • Place the pan in the center of a 9x13-inch baking or roasting pan (preferably with high sides) to make a water bath.
  • Place the nested pans in the oven; then, using a tea kettle or pitcher, pour hot water around the loaf pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the pan.
  • Bake for 90 minutes. Very carefully pull back the foil (there will be steam that has accumulated under it) to ensure the custard is set around the edges but still a bit jiggly in the center.
  • Carefully remove the pans from the oven. Remove the foil and leave the flan in the water bath for 1 hour to cool.
  • Remove the loaf pan from the water bath and wipe the pan dry.
  • Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight or up to 4 days.

Unmolding the Flan

  • Carefully slide a sharp knife around the edges of the pan.
  • Invert a platter with a raised rim (to contain the liquid caramel) on top of the flan and turn the pan and platter over.
  • If the flan doesn’t release immediately, let it sit inverted for a minute and it should slide out. If it still doesn't come out, try running the knife around the edges again.
  • When the flan is released, remove the pan.
Keyword brazil, dessert, flan

Potaje de Lentejas (Cuban Lentil Soup)

Apr 24, 2025 | Americas, Caribbean & Atlantic Islands, Latin American, Soup

cuban lentil soup

Potaje de Lentejas (Cuban Lentil Soup)

submitted by Diana Alvarez Amell
A hearty Cuban lentil one-pot soup that’s easy to prepare without soaking the lentils overnight (recipe from "A Sassy Spoon" by Jamie Silva)
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Caribbean, Cuban, Latin American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups dried lentils
  • 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup diced yellow onion
  • ½ cup diced green bell pepper
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 8 ounces smoked ham cut in pieces
  • 2-3 large Spanish chorizo links sliced
  • 5 cups chicken broth or water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 medium carrots peeled & sliced
  • 2 medium Russet potatoes peeled & quartered
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Lay the lentils on a clean work surface and remove any stones. Wash and rinse until the water runs clear. Set aside.
  • In a Dutch oven, heat oil at medium-high heat. Saute the onions, green bell peppers, and tomatoes for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Saute garlic for 30 seconds. Stir in the oregano, cumin, and salt + pepper to taste. Cook for another 1 minute. Add the ham and chorizo. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the lentils with the rest of the ingredients in the skillet. Add 5 cups of chicken broth and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in the carrots and potatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low heat. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the lentils and veggies have softened. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Remove the bay leaves. Serve by itself or with a side of white rice.
Keyword Cuba, Latin American, soup

 

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