A humble pot of creamy oats, but with a caramelised sugar crust, or perhaps a generous helping of fresh fruit toppings and cream instead?
Porridge, as some of you may remember it, was the bowl of gloopy slop that naughty children turned their noses up at in storybooks. Too hot or too cold, even in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, it was difficult to get it ‘just right’.
Touted as a dependable breakfast option, packed with important vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants, porridge has, in a turn of events, been rediscovered and reinvented by top chefs from around the globe.
From making an appearance on fine dining menus to featuring on the Instagram pages of food bloggers, there’s no end to the deliciously outlandish makeovers this cereal grain is getting.
Three simple ways to transform your morning bowl of porridge into something a more delicious:
Porridge brûlée
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sara Crooks (@crooks.sj) on Sep 5, 2015 at 7:16am PDT
If you’re a fan of cracking into the classic French dessert, creme brûlée, you’re going to simply adore this breakfast spin off. Although far more scrumptious than regular oats, porridge brûlée is no more decadent. It uses the same amount of sugar, but instead of adding it into the boiling mixture, it’s sprinkled over top.
Ingredients
1 cup oats
2 cups milk
4 tsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp vanilla essence
Prepare your porridge by cooking your oats in milk until it’s brought to the boil, then reduce to medium heat. Whilst still cooking, add in the vanilla essence. Once off the stove, spoon into ramekins and dust a light layer of sugar over each mound of porridge. Use a kitchen torch to caramelise the sugar, moving the flame in circles as the sugar browns. Continue with this motion until small black spots appear and all the sugar has turned colour. Serve with fresh raspberries or enjoy as is.
Apple pie oats
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Worldwide Foodstuff (@foodstuff_worldwide) on Mar 26, 2020 at 2:51pm PDT
The sharp fruity flavour of crisp green apples offset by the molasses-like sweetness of brown sugar and the warmth of cinnamon - these oats will definitely satisfy your morning apple pie cravings.
Ingredients
1 large Granny Smith apple grated
1 cup oats
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon of salted butter
⅓ cup of raisins
⅓ roughly chopped pecan nuts
sugar and cinnamon to taste
Directions
Grate a large peeled Granny Smith apple into your porridge while it's still on the stove and boiling in two cups of milk. Add a handful of raisins, a tablespoon of salted butter and brown sugar and cinnamon to taste. Once creamy and cooked through, serve hot with a splash of cream if you’re feeling extra indulgent and chopped pecan nuts for garnish.
Chocolate pudding oats
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Miriam🌙🌱 (@mealsbymiri) on Sep 17, 2019 at 2:13pm PDT
A more sophisticated take on the chocolate pudding cups we ate as children, a bowl of this cocoa porridge is best served with bananas, berries and cacao nibs for extra crunch.
Ingredients
1 cup oats
2 cups milk
2-3 tbsp cocoa powder
⅓ tsp vanilla essence
Sugar to taste
Directions
Add milk to a pot on a stove, bring to a simmer before adding in the oats stirring until it comes to the boil. Reduce to medium heat and add in the vanilla followed by the cocoa powder. Do this step gradually, adding in spoon by spoon until you reach your desired richness.
If the mixture appears too thick, add an extra splash of milk until it’s the consistency of a custard based pudding. Add sugar to suit your preference and enjoy hot or cold with your favourite toppings. Try swirling in a tablespoon of peanut butter for an extra creamy, salty-sweet experience.