Boeber Dessert Recipe

Our Boeber dessert is inspired by traditional Cape Malay cuisine. The taste is rich and creamy, and it’s very filling. Traditionally, Boeber is served as a pudding or a thick, creamy drink. The thickness is determined by the amount of sago used. In other words, the more you use the thicker it will be. Try out our recipe and amend according to your tastes and preferences.

Recipe by: Gold Restaurant

Serves: 14

Difficulty: Easy / Moderate

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 30 minutes

Ingredients

T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon

• 50 g butter
• 80 g vermicelli, broken into pieces
• ¼ t ground cardamom (1 ml)
• ¼ t ground cinnamon (1 ml)
• ¼ t saffron (1 ml) – optional
• 3 T sago (45 ml)
• 1 litre full cream milk
• 100 g white sugar
• 75 g bleached sultanas (125 ml)
• 1 cup cream (250 ml)
• 3 t rose water (15 ml) or 2 t vanilla essence (10 ml)
• 50 g flaked almonds, toasted – optional

Method

1. Place the sago in a small saucepan with 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk. Bring to the boil stirring continuously. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes for the sago to gently plump (thicken).
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the vermicelli, cardamom, cinnamon and saffron and stir gently over a low heat until golden brown and aromatic.
3. Add the remaining milk, sugar, sultanas and gently plumped sago. Cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until the vermicelli is tender and the sago is transparent. Stir occasionally at first, then constantly as the boeber consistency thickens.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, and rosewater or vanilla essence.
5. Spoon into dessert bowls and serve warm. We add a sprinkling of edible gold dust to garnish.