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If you want a fresh, fruity dessert that’s quick to make, red berry and cherry pudding is an excellent choice.
This light, juicy pudding—known in northern Germany as Rote Grütze—is perfect for summer. It combines seasonal red and purple fruits for bright flavor and pleasant texture, and works equally well served warm or chilled.
Rote Grütze appears across northern Europe in variations such as Danish rødgrød or rødgrød med fløde. Use any mix of seasonal fruit you like: red currants, black currants, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, marionberries, boysenberries, plums, and cherries all work well.
I use quick-cooking (instant) tapioca to thicken this pudding. Because these pearls are precooked and broken down, they thicken more quickly than regular tapioca. Other traditional thickeners include semolina, sago, groats, or potato starch.
Serve the pudding warm with a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a comforting finish, or chill it for a refreshing summer treat. For parties, you can present it family-style in a large bowl or portion it into individual dishes or jars for an elegant presentation.
Top with whipped cream, vanilla sauce, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Fresh fruit and mint sprigs make attractive garnishes.
Rote Grütze (Red Berry and Cherry Pudding)
- Author: Nina-Kristin Isensee
- Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings (about 1 1/2 cups)
Description
Cherries, raspberries, and strawberries mingle with tapioca to create a silky, jelly-like pudding that is sweet, tart, and full of summer flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pitted sweet cherries
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped or sliced
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup unsweetened black or tart 100% cherry juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons instant (Minute) tapioca
- Whipped cream, heavy cream, or vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
- Fresh red fruit, for garnish (optional)
- Mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cherries, strawberries, raspberries, cherry juice, vanilla, and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is very soft and begins to break down. Remove from heat.
- Pour the contents into a strainer or colander set over a large bowl and allow the liquid to drain; set the fruit aside.
- Return the strained liquid to the pot and taste, adding more sugar if desired. Stir to dissolve.
- Whisk in the instant tapioca and let stand for 5 minutes. Return the pot to the stove and bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid gels (or follow package instructions).
- Gently fold the reserved fruit back into the thickened liquid. Transfer to a serving bowl or individual dishes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with cream or ice cream, or cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving chilled. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pudding
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Dessert
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Gather, Prep, and Measure Ingredients
Rinse all fruit and prep to yield about 4 cups of prepared fruit total. Pit the cherries (a straw or cherry pitter works well), hull and chop the strawberries, and halve larger fruits if using. Measure the cherry juice, vanilla, sugar, and tapioca. Choose unsweetened juice so you can control the sweetness.
For a twist, substitute part of the juice with a sweeter red wine for a richer flavor.
Step 2 – Cook the Fruit
Combine the fruit, cherry juice, vanilla, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer about 10 minutes until the fruit softens and releases its juices.
Step 3 – Strain and Sweeten to Taste
Drain the cooked fruit through a colander into a bowl to separate juices from solids. Let the fruit drain without pressing it, then return the liquid to the pot and sweeten as needed.
Step 4 – Add the Tapioca and Cook
Whisk in the instant tapioca and let the mixture sit 5 minutes. Bring to a boil while stirring, then simmer about 5 minutes until the liquid gels. Remove from heat.
Step 5 – Finish and Serve
Fold the reserved fruit into the thickened liquid and transfer to bowls. Serve warm with cream or chilled after refrigeration for at least 3 hours. Garnish with fresh fruit and mint as desired. Leftovers keep up to 5 days in the fridge.
Fresh or Frozen?
Frozen fruit can be used year-round. Thaw first and reserve any liquid, or allow extra cooking time. Because frozen berries release more liquid, add about 1 extra tablespoon of instant tapioca to ensure proper thickening. Always include vanilla to round out the flavors.
How will you enjoy this red fruit pudding? Serve it simply with cream, use it in parfaits, or chill it for a cool finish. Leftovers make a flavorful topping for yogurt or ice cream.
Photos by Fanny Slater, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Originally published July 1, 2015; updated July 24, 2022. Additional writing and editing by Fanny Slater, Nikki Cervone, and Allison Sidhu.
Nutritional information is an approximation derived from food databases and was not prepared by a registered dietitian or lab-tested.