The most extra rice pudding you've ever tried
The Cypriot way of making rice pudding involves slow cooking and lots of warming spices. I tested this with oat and without hazelnut milk, and I absolutely loved the hazelnut swap, so go for that if you're feeling decadent.
The recipe below is very simple and customisable, but the one thing I want you to take away from it is how long you cook it for. Low and slow with lots of stirring will give you the creamiest, most luxurious texture, so don't rush it.
Here's the rice pudding recipe, serves 4-5:
- 150g pudding rice
- 850ml hazelnut milk or oat milk, plus 70-150 ml extra for finishing
- 65g caster sugar
- 2 star anise
- 5 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 a vanilla pod
- Pinch of salt
Toppings:
- Morello cherry compote - I love the one from Odysea
- Whipped cream - I used the Sproud one, but the Elmer one is in most supermarkets. I also added sugar and a little brandy to mine! The whipped cream is really extra, it's still delicious without it.
- Halva - it's worth making the trip to your local Turkish or Middle Eastern shop to get this, it's one of my favourite treats.
- Sumac - the sour notes work so so well with the cherry.
Method:
Make a little pouch for the star anise and cloves using a square of cheesecloth, tied in a knot, so that you can easily remove them later (or just skip this and just fish them out). Halve the vanilla pod down the centre lengthways and scoop out the seeds using the sharp edge of a knife.
Add the rice pudding, milk, sugar, spices, cinnamon, vanilla seeds and pod and a pinch of salt to a medium pot. Cook on a very gentle heat, stirring often, for about at least 45 minutes. Taste and check for doneness, the rice should be soft and cooked all the way through. The lower the heat, longer you cook and the more often you stir, the creamier it will be.
Make sure you have plenty of extra milk to stir through at the end, once it's finished cooking, as it will thicken as it cools.
Top generously with the whipped cream, cherry compote, crumbled halva, and finish with the sumac and an extra sprinkle of flakey sea salt.
If you have any leftover, heat it up on the stove with a little more milk or water to loosen.
Hope you enjoy it!
