German cuisine · Soups & Stews

Buttermilk Soup with Stewed Prunes

Cold northern German buttermilk soup with softly stewed prunes, cinnamon and a hint of lemon zest.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 250 g pitted prunes
• 1 l buttermilk
• 80 g sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 organic lemon
• 1 pinch salt
• 200 ml water

Instructions

1. Pit the prunes, halve them and simmer with the water in a small covered pot over low heat for 10 min. until soft; you can also soak them overnight if you prefer.
2. Finely grate the lemon zest and squeeze out 2 tbsp of juice, then set both aside.
3. Stir the cornstarch smooth with 4 tbsp cold buttermilk so no lumps form later.
4. Heat the remaining buttermilk with sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a wide pot, stirring constantly, to no more than 70°C – it must never boil or it will curdle.
5. Stir in the mixed starch and let the soup thicken lightly for 2–3 min., stirring, until it visibly coats the ladle, then remove from the heat.
6. Stir in the prunes with their soaking water, lemon zest and lemon juice, chill the soup for at least 2 hrs. and serve ice-cold in deep bowls.