Rice is one of those ingredients always present in every house. It is the preferred staple food since countless delightful one-pot rice meals, refreshing drinks, and mouthwatering desserts can be made with it.
This grain’s popularity and spreading use are so big that there is no family without a claim of preparing the perfect rice. Some people even have a secret rice-based dish. Among all families’ recipes passed down over generations, there is one that grants the award for being as delicious as easy to prepare. It is not other than the recipe for rice pudding.
If you still do not have a rice pudding handed down from your grandparents, you can start by making your family tradition with your recipe. But before getting on with it, let´s know a bit about the various types of rice puddings and choose the one that fits your taste.
Learning a bit more about rice puddings
As with all rice dishes, there are countless recipes for rice puddings out there. The differences rely on the extra ingredients added and the cooking techniques used.
The base of any rice pudding is milk, rice, sugar, and some flavorings given by herbs or spices. To this simple recipe, you can add different toppings and create new desserts every time you prepare them. Besides, you can also make a nutritious breakfast that your family will enjoy hot or cold.
Perhaps in your hometown there is already a well-known rice pudding recipe that you and your family have already eaten several times. But, if you are looking to establish a new tradition, better take a look at the different types of rice pudding in the world.
Knowing the variations
A traditional rice pudding is made with white rice cooked with whole milk, sweetened with sugar, and flavored with cinnamon or vanilla. These ingredients are placed in a big saucepan and slowly cooked on a stovetop.
Costa Rica, Cuba, Venezuela, and Colombia are some of the countries that prepare rice pudding in this way. It is a very delicious dessert with a creamy texture, commonly eaten as an afternoon snack.
Other countries have some interesting variations with local ingredients giving exquisite tastes:
- Kheer: An Indian dessert prepared on the stovetop. It includes Basmati rice, and coconut milk, flavored with cardamom and served with raisins and toasted almonds or pistachios on the top.
- Biko: This rice pudding from the Philippines is made with glutinous white rice baked with coconut milk and with grated coconut topping.
- Rizogalo: A Greek rice pudding with short-grain rice, eggs, whole milk, sugar, cinnamon, and thickening with cornstarch.
- Khao Neeo Mamuang: It is sticky rice with mangoes. This delicious rice pudding from Thailand has sticky rice scented with coconut and served with sweet coconut sauce and mango.
- Rumagrit or Rømmegrøt: It is a Scandinavian rice pudding. This dessert is made with white rice, milk, sugar, unsalted butter, and flavored with cardamom. It is typically served with melted sugar on top.
A rice pudding in the oven?
Rice pudding can be cooked in various ways: stovetop, rice cookers, and baking. Each of these techniques gives a unique texture to the rice puddings. However, by using the baking method, you will end up with custard and comfort dessert. Additionally, baking requires less babysitting than cooking on the stovetop. So, it would be easier to make a baked rice pudding, just combine the ingredients and place them in your oven.
Give a chance to this exquisite recipe and make it a family tradition.
Baked rice pudding
Ingredients (4 servings):
- 4 beaten eggs.
- 1 cup of sugar.
- 3 cups of whole milk.
- ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- ½ teaspoon of salt.
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
- 2 cups of cooked rice (leftover white rice can be used, or cook it beforehand).
- ½ cup of raisins.
Preparation:
- Prepare rice in advance.
- Preheat the oven.
- In a bowl, combine the beaten eggs and sugar.
- Pour milk and stir very well.
- Incorporate salt, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon. Combine all components.
- Add rice and raisins.
- Grease an oven-safe dish, and place the previous mixture.
- Put this oven-safe dish inside a larger pan, and pour some water into this pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F (150 degrees C).
- It may be served straight from the baking dish or refrigerated for a couple of hours to enjoy it cold.
