Sütlü irmik tatlısı is cooked by thickening milk with semolina, unlike irmik helvası, where the grain is first toasted in fat. This version is served in small cups rather than cut into slices, and uses vanilla and cinnamon without a fruit sauce.
Sütlü İrmik Tatlısı — Recipe Card
Chilled semolina milk pudding with cinnamon
Makes 6 servings · 6 small dessert cupsUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Sütlü İrmik Tatlısı
Start cold
Set out six heat-safe dessert cups of at least 200 ml (about ¾–1 cup) capacity. In a heavy saucepan, whisk the cold milk with the semolina and sugar until evenly mixed.
Cook until thick
Heat over medium heat, stirring continuously, for about 10–12 minutes until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble. Reduce the heat and cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring across the base and corners. It should fall from the spoon in a thick ribbon; do not let it scorch.
Finish and portion
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Divide between the cups, leaving space at the top. Let steam escape for about 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate at 4°C (40°F) or below. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C (90°F).
Chill and serve
Chill for at least 2 hours, until cold and set but still spoonable. Dust the cinnamon evenly over the six cups just before serving.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-semolina-milk-pudding-sutlu-irmik-tatlisi. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Dietary notes
Vegetarian; contains milk and wheat gluten. Semolina is a wheat product, so this recipe is not gluten-free. It contains no egg or gelatin.
Texture
The pudding firms as it cools. These proportions are intended for cups, not for reliably unmolding or cutting into neat squares.
Vanilla
Use vanilla extract, not vanilla sugar, for the listed quantities. The extract is added off the heat to keep its aroma.
How to store and reheat Sütlü İrmik Tatlısı
Keep covered at 4°C (40°F) or below and eat within 2 days. Serve cold and return unused cups to the refrigerator promptly. Avoid freezing, which can leave the pudding watery or grainy.
Sütlü İrmik Tatlısı: questions and answers
Can I use coarse semolina?
Fine semolina gives the most even texture. Coarse grains need longer to soften and may leave a noticeably rougher pudding, so they are not a direct substitute for the timing here.
What if a few lumps form?
Whisk firmly while the pudding is hot. For persistent lumps, briefly use an immersion blender in the saucepan, taking care with hot splashes, then portion as directed.
