Spiced Rice Pudding

Rice pudding has quickly become one of my favourite desserts. With a dense, luxurious texture and rich, creamy flavour it’s difficult to find anything negative to say about it. Some proclaim to dislike its texture, but that’s probably because they haven’t had the right rice pudding. This recipe for Spiced Rice Pudding is the right one.

Containing only milk, sugar and rice at its most basic, rice pudding is as close to a blank canvas for flavour as you’re likely to get. Even adding just a little golden syrup and nutmeg to the recipe confers a great deal of taste to the pudding rice.

Infuse your milk with some whole spices, however, and you’ll be entered into a whole new dimension of flavour. It’s subtle but obvious at the same time. With an underlying sweetness that’s simply perfect for the end of any meal and particularly appropriate following a hot, powerful curry.

Best thing of all? Rice pudding is unbelievably frugal. Some rice, butter, milk, sugar and whole spices is all you need. Even if you decide to use top-quality ingredients – and I recommend gold top Jersey milk if possible – this is dessert at its most economical. Enjoy!

Spiced Rice Pudding

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• 70g pudding rice

• 568ml (1 pint) full cream milk

• 40g butter

• 50g caster sugar, or jaggery

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 star anise

• 4 cloves

• 5 cardamom pods

• freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Method:

1. Place the whole spices in a large pan and top up with the milk. Bring to a gentle simmer before removing from the heat and leaving to sit until cool.

2. Remove the whole spices and tip in the butter, rice and sugar and bring to a gentle boil. Allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve once thick, creamy and soft through with a little decoration or nutmeg.

Cost: Don’t let the memories of rice pudding at school put you off, this is truly an exceptional dessert. And at £1.20 for the lot, you’d be mad to miss it!