Creamy rice pudding
I have to thank Chef Ben for suggesting rice pudding as an easy-allergen-avoidance dessert to try. He’s right: it’s simple to make, easy to modify for personal preferences, and completely delicious!
I decided to go rogue with this recipe and start from a completely blank page (a dangerous thing to do given my lack of expertise), but everything turned out well in the end… which means that anyone can do it!
The key to making a creamy rice pudding, I learned, is to use a medium grain rice like Arborio, Valencia, or Bomba. Long grain rice doesn’t release enough starch to become creamy, and short grain rice releases too much and turns to mush. Medium grain varieties contain a high percentage of amylopectin, a highly branched form of starch, and release just enough to make a creamy pudding or risotto while retaining their form. Of the three varieties recommended, the one I found at my local supermarket was “gourmet” Arborio rice, so that’s what I used.
I easily cooked a cup of rice with some rice milk, adding more liquid and stirring as the grain cooked, until I liked the texture of the rice. Once that was finished it was simply a matter of adding the flavors I wanted. Splitting the cooked rice into two portions and using the incredibly unscientific approach of adding ingredients and tasting the results, I ultimately ended up with a reasonably traditional cinnamon raisin version and a chocolate version. These simple recipes can be adjusted to your taste – just add more of what you like!
Rice Pudding Base Ingredients:
2/3 cups medium grain rice (I used Arborio)
2 cups vitamin A & D enriched rice milk (I used Rice Dream Original Enriched)
Directions:
Combine rice and rice milk in medium saucepan. Cook on low heat, stirring regularly, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Add more rice milk if necessary.
When rice is soft and creamy, remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine.
Serve warm or chilled, depending on your preference.
Chocolate Rice Pudding Additions:
3 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon safe vanilla extract
1/4 cup safe chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)
A 1/4 cup serving provides 141 calories, 28.1 g carbohydrate, 1.8 g protein, and 3.1 g fat
Cinnamon Raisin Rice Pudding Additions:
2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon safe vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins (I plumped mine by soaking them in warm water first)
A 1/2 cup serving provides 108 calories, 25.5 g carbohydrate, 1.4 g protein, and 0.6 g fat
Chocolate
Cinnamon Raisin