Puddingar

Puddingar is the Swedish plural form of pudding, referring to a broad family of thick, soft desserts and dessert-like dishes. The category encompasses custard-like puddings, rice puddings, bread puddings, and fruit-based puddings, and it covers both sweet and, in some traditions, savory variants. In Swedish usage, puddingar are typically served as desserts, often dairy-based, and can be eaten warm or cold.

Common varieties include vanilla pudding, chocolate pudding, and rice pudding, as well as bread pudding and various fruit-flavored puddings. They are generally prepared by thickening milk or cream with a starch such as cornstarch or flour, by cooking grains like rice, or by incorporating eggs for texture. After cooking, puddingar are usually cooled before serving, though some are enjoyed warm.

Variations reflect regional culinary traditions. In many countries pudding names describe a range of dishes from soft, custard-like desserts to steamed or baked puddings and, in some cases, savory dishes. In British cuisine, puddings may be steamed, baked, or boiled and can be sweet or savory; in American usage, pudding often denotes a sweet, milk-based dessert thickened with starch and eaten with a spoon. Packaged pudding mixes are widely available and used to make home versions quickly.

Typical serving accompaniments include whipped cream, fruit, caramel or chocolate sauce, and fresh berries. Puddingar, as a category, thus encompasses a flexible set of desserts that share a common characteristic: a smooth, thick texture achieved through careful thickening and cooling.