A bit of a cross between rice pudding and tapioca pudding, only in a much chewier version! If you're a fan, you have to give this Apple & Cinnamon Barley Pudding a try!
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a slow simmer over medium heat.
Meanwhile, melt the ghee in a large skillet or saute pan set over medium-low heat; add the apples and barley and stir until the grains of barley are well coated and slightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in raisins, cinnamon and salt, then start adding the warm milk, about 1 cup or so at a time, and continue to stir constantly, making sure that the milk is completely absorbed before adding more. Continue stirring and adding milk until the barley is tender and creamy, which should take about 55 minutes from the time you first started adding milk. It is particularly important that you never stop stirring, otherwise the milk might scorch, curdle and/or attach to the bottom of the pan.
Towards the end, taste regularly to gauge the doneness of the barley; you may not need to use all the milk, or you may need a little more, depending on how soft you like your pudding.
Once the barley is cooked to your liking, stir in a final cup of warm milk as well as the maple syrup, kill the heat and let the pudding rest, stirring from time to time, until it's thickened up and cooled down to the desired serving temperature, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Stir in heavy cream, if using. If you prefer your pudding a bit on the colder side, you can send it for a quick trip to the fridge at this point to bring it further down in temperature.
Serve topped with a dollop of crème fraîche, sour cream or plain yogurt, a few drops of maple syrup and a light sprinkle of cinnamon.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to a few days, but the pudding will become fairly thick and pasty once chilled. Reheat for a few seconds in the microwave to make it creamy again, or, if serving cold, stir in a little bit of milk to loosen it up.