Everyone loves rice pudding. For my mum, it’s a timeless dessert that offers warmth and a comforting throwback to her youth. But for me, it’s a carb-loaded snack, savoured before a run home from work.
What is Rice Pudding?
Classic rice pudding is a creamy, rich, and comforting dessert. It’s most often made from rice, milk, and sweeteners. However, spices help enhance the flavour, leaving the possibilities endless for this simple yet timeless classic.
Most cultures consume rice, and many of them also use rice to make some version of this classic dessert. In the UK, we make it with short-grain rice that is high in starch. You’ll find this rice sold simply as “pudding rice.” However, any rice would work as in other cultures where long-grain rice such as basmati and jasmine are used.
Ingredients
While most people consider rice pudding an indulgence, it also provides essential nutrients. I spend a lot of time eating pre-packaged rice pudding out of convenience. But as a chef, I can’t pass up the opportunity to make my own, especially with my favourite flavourings. While you can find delicious rice pudding without a tonne of added sugars and preservatives, it’s easy to make your own according to your tastes and preferences.
Rice—Pudding rice is a short-grain, plump, almost round rice. It isn’t a type of rice since short-grain rice is often called pudding rice. However, it still offers a source of slow-releasing carbohydrates, resulting in steady energy to keep pace during your runs.
Milk – Adds a protein boost, but you can also make it dairy-free or vegan by substituting cow’s milk for your favourite dairy alternative. Likewise, if you’re looking for a great recovery snack, why not add a scoop of your favourite protein powder?
Spices & Sweeteners—I’ve used muscovado sugar, which offers slight caramel flavours but also alters the pudding’s colour. However, cinnamon and vanilla offer sweetness, warmth, and a colour change. Lemon zest might seem like an odd choice, but along with nutmeg and salt, it will help bring out the flavours of the other ingredients. Your rice pudding shouldn’t taste lemony or salty, for that matter.
How to Cook Rice Pudding?
Most people cook rice pudding in two ways. Both processes involve cooking the rice long and slow to help prevent the milk from catching. Some recipes stir eggs into the mix, making a custard to cook their dessert. However, this can often lead to curdling, resulting in rice and scrambled eggs, which spoil the satisfying dessert.
Typically, rice pudding is creamy white since the most prominent ingredients, milk, sugar, and rice, share this colour. However, my recipe gives the rice a slightly chocolatey colour. The colour comes from the brown sugar and cinnamon. Don’t be alarmed by the visual differences; it tastes incredible.
I’ve briefly explained the two methods below. My method skips over the need to rinse the rice. However, I recommend doing so as this removes excess starch from the rice exterior, resulting in a creamier, smoother texture. Excess starch may make your final result sticky or clumpy.
To cook in the oven, mix the rice, milk, cream, vanilla seeds, cinnamon, lemon zest, salt, and sugar in a large enough casserole dish. Freshly grate nutmeg over the top as tradition dictates. Cover tightly with foil and place in the centre of a preheated oven at 150 ° C. Cook for 1-2 hours until the rice is tender and has absorbed the milk, thickening it. A golden-brown skin should form. Here’s the downside to oven-baking rice pudding: This method is more traditional.
To cook on the stove, combine the whole milk, double cream, sugar, vanilla seeds, cinnamon, lemon zest, nutmeg, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the milk gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm but not boiling. Add the rice to the warm milk and mix well. Cook gently for 35-40 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the bottom from catching. The dish is ready when the rice is tender and the milk has thickened. This is my preferred cooking method as it’s quicker and easier to control.
What about you? What do you think of my version or do you prefer the creamier white verison? Do you add jam to your rice pudding? Do you have any secrets? Let me know in the comments?
Rice Pudding
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the whole milk, double cream, sugar, vanilla seeds, cinnamon, lemon zest, nutmeg, and salt in a medium-sized pan. Place over medium heat.
- Stir the milk gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm but not boiling.
- Add the rice to the warm milk and mix well.
- Cook gently for 35-40 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the bottom from catching. The rice pudding is ready when the rice is tender and the milk has thickened.
- Top with strawberry jam and fresh starwberries to serve
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