If there is one dessert that both Jim and I never get tired of, it is rice pudding. Not something chocolatey, not cheesecake, not pie (shock!) but good ole rice pudding.
Old Fashioned Goodness
Rice pudding is just so unassuming. It’s casual, it doesn’t take itself seriously. It is homey, comfy, and cozy. It reminds us of grandmas, of doilies, of sitting in front of the tv watching Wild World of Disney on a Sunday evening. (if you get that reference, we need to talk!) These days it comes out most often on cold winter evenings, to keep us company as we get cozy on the couch with the cats, old movies and knitting!
My mom would take leftover rice and serve it with cinnamon sugar and warm milk as a quick breakfast for us, but it still tasted enough like rice pudding to make me happy. Sure, the texture wasn’t the same, but it still paid homage to that most comforting dessert.
I have a few rice pudding recipes on the blog already. One takes rice pudding and turns it on its head by using bamboo rice and matcha powder, Matcha Rice Pudding. The other is closer to one we might recognize, a Swedish version, with a lovely cherry compote accent, Swedish Rice Pudding. So I thought it best that I finally share the recipe that I have been making for most of our married life.
It is a simple stove top method as opposed to a baked rice pudding, which has dubious results in texture, depending on the recipe you use. I find that with a stove top recipe, you have more control as to when you want to finish, so you control how creamy or firm the result is. It’s a riff on a Bonnie Stern recipe, which is so well-loved that it has shown up in more than one of her cookbooks through the years!
How Do You Feel about Raisins in Rice Pudding?
Funny, as much as I detest raisins showing up in a butter tart, I really don’t mind raisins in my rice pudding. Don’t ask for the logic, there is none. But what if you don’t like raisins? Then have you tried currants? They work great in adding that little bit of textural contrast. No matter what you use in the end, it is what you soak them in first that is key. Instead of just adding in the raisins as is, I love to soak the raisins in rum, or bourbon. All you need to do is heat up the liquor to a quick boil and pour it over the raisins. Cover and let them sit till they get nice and plump. Of course, you can always use the microwave to achieve the same result. I don’t have a microwave, so I just put a little bourbon in a saucepan and then add the raisins to it once heated through. Let them plump up, and strain before adding to the pudding as it cooks.
What is the best rice to use?
Personally I think a short grain like arborio rice is the best for rice pudding. It plumps up and soaks up the milk and adds the best amount of starches to the liquid to create that creamy texture that is essential for a successful rice pudding. This is the same rice that you will use for a wonderful risotto, which is really a savoury rice pudding at heart, so it makes sense that arborio is the way to go. But just because we usually think of risotto as a savoury dish, that didn’t stop me from turning it into a sweet treat in my Chocolate Risotto with Espresso and Hazelnuts
How to Finish Rice Pudding:
What makes this rice pudding extra special is the final touch. Sure, some stewed fruit, jam, fresh fruit or fruit compote is always a great way to top off a rice pudding.
But I contend that an even better topper is caramel sauce. The velvety goodness of a smooth caramel sauce stirs into the rice pudding and adds a lovely depth of flavour. If your rice pudding is that perfect balance of sugar to cinnamon, then the salty goodness of my Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce will compliment this rice pudding better than you could ever imagine! And to take this Rice Pudding to the next level, fit for company, layer some whipped cream or ice cream along with the Caramel Sauce on the Pudding!
Here is the link to my Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce, you’ll want to put this decadent and sweet salty goodness on everything! Of course you can just finish this rice pudding off the classic way, with plenty of cinnamon, and I would still be perfectly happy!
Final Thoughts
So, for these winter evenings, or even as a great little breakfast, have a bowl of rice pudding. Your belly will thank you! Just taking the time to make it is pure therapy. There is something so soothing about standing in front of the stove stirring the pot till all that milk and rice turn thick and creamy.
Winter Alternative: As an alternative to milk, why not use Eggnog to replace some of the milk!? A great way to use up some of the eggnog in the fridge if it December or January. If you do so, you will need to reduce the sugar, since it is already sweetened. I wouldn’t use more than two cups of the eggnog. It is pretty rich and thick. Depending on its sweetness level, you may want to reduce the sugar by 1-2 tbsp. Taste and see.
To store leftovers, use a container with a tight fitting lid, and store in the fridge for a day or so. When you take it out of the fridge, it will have stiffened up. To loosen it, place it in a pot over low heat, along with a couple of tablespoons of milk or cream. Warm and stir the milk through till the consistency is to your liking. If more milk is necessary, only add one tablespoon at a time.
If you make this Old Fashioned Rice Pudding, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.
Love Jen
Old Fashioned Creamy Rice Pudding
The best comfort dessert ever! Creamy, cinnamony and the perfect finish, a coffee caramel sauce!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- 45 grams (1/3 cup) raisins or currants
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) Arborio or other short-grain rice
- 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) white sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1250 ml (5 cups) milk, divided
- 2 egg yolks, optional
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
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Bring the bourbon to a boil in a small sauce pan. Once it has come to a boil, add the raisins and stir to combine well. Cover and take the sauce pan off the heat. Let it sit for 15 minutes to allow the raisins to soak up the bourbon and plump up. Strain before using.
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Place the rice and boiling water in a medium large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook on a simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the water.
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In a small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in 250 ml (1 cup) of milk till smooth. Add this mixture to rice along with the remaining milk. Add the plumped up raisins.
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Bring the pudding to a boil, being careful that it doesn't boil over. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring regularly, until it has become very creamy and thickened. (You may need to adjust the temperature. If it is too low it will take a long time to cook and if it is too high it will boil over. It should be on the lower side, but still bubbling gently)
Don't let all the milk get absorbed, it will continue to thicken as it cools, so a bit of creaminess is needed, to help the final texture stay loose enough to enjoy.
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Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the egg yolks, if you are using them. They add a nice richness to the pudding, but are not necessary.
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Cook gently for one minute. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon.
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From here you can transfer the pudding to a serving bowl or individual bowls. Serve warm or cold. Store covered in the fridge.
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Serve with Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce, the link is below.
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To re-warm and loosen the stiffened pudding the next day, return the pudding to a pot, along with a 30 ml (two tablespoons) of milk. Stir through over low heat till the pudding has loosened and is a creamy consistency once again. If more milk is needed, only add 15 ml or 1 tbsp at a time.
Recipe Notes
See Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce for the recipe.
Feel free to halve this recipe, it is an easy one to cut in half if it is only two of you at home!
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