Amaranth Pudding with Amaretto Cream

1. To prepare pudding: Combine 3 cups water, amaranth and cinnamon stick in a large heavy pan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the amaranth is tender and translucent, 18 to 20 minutes. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more water if the amaranth starts to stick to the bottom of the pan. Discard the cinnamon stick.

2. Stir in half-and-half, milk, turbinado sugar, 2 tablespoons amaretto, vanilla and salt; return to a simmer, stirring continuously. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle bubble and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick porridge, 3 to 5 minutes more. Reduce heat further, if necessary, to prevent the pudding from sticking to the pan. (Use caution as you stir: the mixture can splatter as it bubbles.) Divide the pudding among 8 small serving dishes (about 2/3 cup each). Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

3. To prepare amaretto cream & topping: When you're ready to serve, whip cream, confectioners' sugar and 2 teaspoons amaretto in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Crush 8 cookies with your fingers to get coarse crumbs. Top each pudding with about 1 tablespoon of the whipped cream and 1 tablespoon cookie crumbs. Garnish each bowl with 1 whole cookie and a little drizzle of amaretto, if desired.

Tips

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare pudding (Steps 1 & 2) up to 2 days ahead.

Tips: Amaranth, rich in protein and minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, has been cultivated in Central America for an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 years. When cooked, it has a thick, porridge-like texture--great in soups, stews, breakfast porridge or puddings. Find it in the natural-foods section of well-stocked supermarkets or in natural-foods stores.

To Make It Gluten-Free: Most Italian amaretti cookies are made without ingredients that contain gluten, but not all brands are made in a gluten-free facility. If you are gluten-sensitive, use almond flavored gluten-free cookies for the topping instead.