Recipes > Rice Pudding
Rice Pudding
One of the reasons why this dish is a constant favourite of the older generations dates back to post world war II when food rationing and restrictions still applied. In the post war stricken economy when luxuries were scarce and almost forgotten memories rice pudding was one of the cheap and still affordable desserts that was available to all.

For a perfectly white rice pudding that hasn't browned cook in a double boiler.

To make the pudding even richer replace some of the milk with cream

Serves 4

Recipe Ingredients
55g / 2oz pudding or short grain rice
570ml / 1 pint milk
55g / 2oz butter or margarine
2 Tblsp sugar
1 Tsp vanilla essence
1/8 Tsp salt
(Optional additional flavourings: lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, coconut)

Raspberry or strawberry jam

Mise-en-Place:
Weigh the ingredients
Prepare a double boiler

Method:
Place all the ingredients in the first saucepan, place over a medium heat and bring to a simmer
Transfer the saucepan to the double boiler
Cook for 30-45 minutes
Stir every 15-20 minutes
The rice is done when it is soft, swollen and all the liquid has been soaked up and thickened
Check seasoning
Serve with the jam

Adjust:
Too thick: Thin with a little hot milk or cream
Too thin: Continue cooking
Too bland: Add a pinch of salt, more vanilla and if you wish some lemon juice

Presentation:
Thin the jam down (so that it is easier to pour and shape) by mixing in a little hot water
Place the rice in a bowl, pour or swirl over the jam

Chef Tip: No double boiler?
To make your own place a smaller saucepan inside a larger pan. To seperate the two pans place a baking ring or ramekin inside the large pan. Pour hot water in between the two saucepans so that it comes at least 1/3 of the way up the exterior side of the smaller pan
Place over a medium heat
From time to time top the water level up to prevent the double boiler from boiling dry

Chef Tip: To prevent a thick skin from forming over the rice either scatter over a layer of sugar (a skin will still form but as it largely compromises of sugar it will dissolve when stirred)
Or place a layer of cling film directly onto the rice pudding's surface which will prevent oxidisation

Science behind the dish: Short grain rice contains greater amounts of starch than longer varieties. As the pudding is cooked these starch granules begin to gelate (swell and soak up liquids) and also begin to unravel to form long chains of molecules that entangle with other unraveled molecules to form a net that not only traps and slows the passage of liquids but forms a meshwork binding other starch globules into a larger mass