Warming bratapfel porridge with rice flakes

This warming bratapfel porridge with rice flakes is a delicious addition to your winter breakfast table. Creamy rice flake porridge and deliciously sweet bratapfel pieces are topped with a sticky crumble for the best start to your morning. 

Growing up in rural Germany, oats were one of my favourite staples as a kid. Back in the days, a simple bowl of oats would be topped with chopped seasonal fruit and drowned in fresh milk. Only as I grew older was I open to exploring the mushy texture of oatmeal and various grains to substitute the staple oats with. 

Another staple I grew up with and have incredibly fond memories of is the bratapfel. It‘s translated to „fried apple“, but is ultimately a whole apple without the core, which has been stuffed with crunchy nuts and baked in the oven. Once ready, we usually top it with lots and lots of vanilla sauce (a more liquid type of custard). 

As the days are pretty chilly down under and I‘m craving warming meals, this warming bratapfel porridge with rice flakes has become one of my favourite go to recipes. 

Just like back in the days, my house is usually well stocked on oats. Recently, I started to add a few different grains to my morning routine, and have found rice flakes to be a delightful breakfast addition. As the name of the recipe suggests, this warming bratapfel porridge focusses on rice flakes. I have, however, found that a combination of rice flakes, oats and quinoa flakes provide me with a deliciously filling combination of grains, that also feels nice on my tummy. 

Warming bratapfel porridge with rice flakes ingredients

Apples as the key ingredient. I like mine a little sour, and opt for types like Kanzi, Jazz or Granny Smith

Brown sugar to give the crumble its delicious caramel flavour

Cinnamon as the ultimate winter spice

Dates as a natural sweetener for our crumble. These will become crunchy and even more delicious once baked.

Walnuts as our nut of choice. Feel free to substitute for hazelnuts, pecans or slivered almonds instead.

Butter – a little will go a long way here.

Rice flakes as the main ingredient for our porridge.

Oats – as much as you tolerate

Quinoa flakes – if you (like me) want to add a bit of variety that‘s supposedly good for you. 

Porridge tips

While oatmeal is the most popular type of porridge, porridge can consist of many different types of grains. I personally like my ingredients to be quick to cook with, especially when it comes to breakfast. Flakes are therefore my most favourite variation of breakfast grains. 

Rice flakes have surprised me a lot in my quest for variety. Their sweet, creamy texture when cooked is absolutely delicious and comes very close to that of oats. Now, while the internet is still all over quinoa, I must admit I‘m not a big fan of it. There‘s just some funny taste about it. But because it‘s supposed to be very good for your tummy and assist in the reduction of inflammation, I am making a conscious effort to include this odd little grain wherever possible. Porridge seems to be the obvious, easy meal to add it to. 

My warming bratapfel porridge with rice flakes recipe below lists water as the liquid, but if you prefer to prepare your porridge with milk, please go ahead and swap these out 1:1. I usually add more water than needed to allow the porridge to become super smooth and creamy. 

Bratapfel tips

I mentioned earlier that the traditional German bratapfel is baked in the oven as a whole. But because we‘re adding the bratapfel to porridge, this recipe will ask you to cut the apple into chunks and then sprinkle with what would normally be the stuffing. If you are reading this and already know that you don‘t enjoy large chunks, baked apple skin or firmer pieces as much, please take this as my permission to slice the apple into thinner slices, cut it into smaller pieces and peel it if preferred. 

Bratapfel pieces will keep in the fridge for a few days. I love a loaded porridge myself and have added half the bratapfel recipe to a single bowl of porridge. If you do however have a few leftovers, simply store them in an airtight container. The next day, serve it cold or briefly place it into a small pan with a dash of water to re-heat.

If you loved this warming bratapfel porridge with rice flakes, try one of these recipes next:

Homemade granola

Mixed berry smoothie bowl

Gluten free pancakes

Sourdough pancakes

Sourdough zucchini loaf

How to make warming bratapfel porridge with rice flakes from scratch

To make this delicious warming bratapfel porridge with rice flakes, start by pre-heating the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Wash your apples and prepare a roasting dish.

Slice the apples into quarters and remove the core, then lay them into your roasting dish with their skin facing down. 

Chop your dates and walnuts. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, dates, walnuts and cinnamon. Spread the mixture over your apples. Make sure as much of the mixture as possible site on top of your apples. This will ensure your topping to become super crunchy.  

Spread a little butter over the date nut mixture, then gently pour water in the bottom of your dish without wetting the toppings.

Bake for 45 minutes or until your apples are cooked through. 

As your brataepfel are about to be ready, prepare the porridge. 

In a medium sized saucepan, combine water, rice flakes, oats and quinoa flakes. You want the water to rise about 1cm or 1/2 inch above the grains. 

Place the saucepan on high heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. I like to make my porridge this way, as the high heat means it‘s ready quicker, but the constant stirring still gives me full control of the consistency while not burning. 

Once the water has been fully incorporated into the grains and your porridge is nice and creamy, turn off the stove and immediately transfer it into bowls.

Divide the bratapfel mixture evenly across the porridge. Top with honey or maple syrup and enjoy while hot.

Frequently asked questions

How do you reheat cooked porridge?

You can reheat cooked porridge by gently heating it back up with some more liquid. I personally prefer to do this on the stove than in the microwave. Add a little extra liquid to your leftover oatmeal in a saucepan. Try to use the liquid you have used in the recipe (usually water or milk). Place the saucepan on the stove and heat it, stirring constantly. Make sure to stir the bottom of the pan to not burn your meal. If still too dry, keep adding more liquid until a creamy consistency is achieved. 

How long should you heat porridge?

The coking time of porridge depends on a number of factors. Cooking on low heat, using cold milk or water and using coarse grains like rolled oats, will all cause your porridge to take longer to heat. Soaking your grains for a moment before boiling them, will allow them to soften faster, therefore shortening the cooking time. Assuming you are using cold milk or cold water to prepare your porridge and are cooking on high heat, expect your porridge to take somewhere between 3 and 5 minutes to cook. 

Are rice flakes better than oats?

„Better“ really depends on what you are looking for. If you have food sensitivities or bowel related issues, rice may be your safer choice to feel good. If you are after a filling meal that will give you lots of energy, oats are the better choice for you. In essence, both grains are considered very healthy and have fed nations for centuries. Instead of choosing one grain over the other, one‘s attention might be better directed towards assessing the toppings you intend to serve with it. 

Is it better to boil or microwave porridge?

For me personally, boiling is the way to go. And that‘s simply because we don‘t own a microwave. I‘ve just never seen the need to use anything other than a small pan to heat my meal. Not only does it give me full control over the porridge‘s consistency, but it is also just as quick to prepare on the stove than it is in the microwave. 

Where do baked apples come from?

Baked apples have been a popular sweet dish for centuries. Most commonly, those older recipes can be found across European nations, where apples have always been a staple ingredient to people‘s diet. Harvested in autumn and easily stored for months, baked apples are especially popular during the Christmas period, when the weather is cold and people seek out cozy gatherings. Most commonly, baked apples have their core removed and are stuffed with a mixture of nuts and dried fruit. Once baked, a creamy, usually vanilla flavoured sauce is poured over the apple to create a deliciously sweet dessert.