I Invented a Pudding

No, seriously, I made this up and it's fantastic.

Sweet Barley Pudding

1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 T apple juice
1 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1T honey
1/2 T agave
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Cook barley according to package directions. When done, splash in apple juice and put the lid back on for a few minutes. Whisk the egg yolk and cream together; add this mixture and the rest of the ingredients to the barley. Stir over very low heat for several minutes. You may want to taste and check if it's sweet enough. If it's not, a dash more agave should do the trick.

You can serve right away, let it sit a while with the lid on, or refrigerate and serve cold later on.

Delicious. And since barley has tons more fiber than white rice, this is a rich, creamy and healthier alternative to rice pudding.

Enjoy.