A nostalgic dessert: rice pudding just like the tinned classic, soft, lightly set and just sweet enough. The secret lies in patience and a little dextrose: 40 minutes of very gentle cooking on the lowest heat and a splash of cream at the end for a velvety texture. Lovely warm, but also cold from the fridge.
Rice pudding like the tinned classic
Rice pudding like the tinned classic
Method
01
Everything in the pan
Put the milk, rice, caster sugar, dextrose, vanilla flavouring (or the vanilla extract), the knife tip of turmeric or saffron and the pinch of salt in a heavy-based pan.
02
Bring to the boil
Bring everything to the boil over a medium heat, stirring. Stay close, because milk boils over quickly.
03
Cook gently
As soon as it boils, turn the heat to its lowest setting (use a heat diffuser if you have one) and let the pudding bubble very gently for 35 to 40 minutes. Stir across the bottom every 3 to 4 minutes with a wooden spoon so it doesn't catch.
04
Stir in the cream
After 40 minutes the rice grains are soft and the pudding has thickened, but is still fairly runny. That is as it should be. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cream.
05
Cool without a skin
Spoon the pudding into a bowl. If you don't want a skin, lay a sheet of cling film directly on the warm pudding. Let it cool to room temperature, for no more than 1 hour, then refrigerate.
06
Serve
Serve the pudding cold, or warm it briefly in a pan with a splash of milk. Sprinkle a generous layer of candy sugar over the top.
Tips & notes
Dextrose (glucose powder) is less sweet than ordinary sugar and gives a round, soft sweetness; if you don't have it, use 75 g caster sugar in total. Liquid vanilla flavouring gives the familiar, nostalgic taste of the tinned pudding; Bourbon vanilla extract gives a more genuine vanilla flavour and is a good alternative (start with 1 teaspoon); a vanilla pod makes a richer pudding, see Luxury vanilla rice pudding. Use only a knife tip of turmeric, it is just for the soft yellow colour. Don't leave the pudding at room temperature for more than 1 hour, keep it in the fridge for no more than 2 days and reheat leftovers until piping hot.
Chef's tip
Take the pudding off the heat while it is still runnier than you want it: it thickens a lot as it cools. If it is too firm after chilling, stir in a splash of milk. Preferably always use a vanilla pod. If you do not have one, use for example Dr. Oetker Bourbon vanilla extract instead of Dr. Oetker Aroma vanillesmaak (vanilla flavouring), because that gives a completely different taste.
Variations
- With cinnamon: sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the warm pudding.
- With fruit: serve with warm cherries or apple sauce.
- With butter: let a knob of butter melt into the warm pudding, the old-fashioned way.
Contains:
Milk
