Rice Pudding has a large influence spread across many cultures with different variations of flavors and toppings. With only five ingredients, this recipe is simple to make and absolutely delicious.

Total Cooking Time: 1.5 hours

I find myself on the road often, even in a Pandemic, and in order to be safe as possible I try to order online and avoid restaurants whenever I can. One of my favorite types of foods to eat on the road is Mediterranean because it’s generally healthier than many of the other options. And I would be lying if I said the Rice Pudding desert wasn’t alluring. So, against my better instincts, I decided to add it to my order, and I was sent into a blissful food coma.

Rice pudding is just so good, being lightly sweeten with that hint of vanilla and the milky goodness absorbed into the rice. I was a little nervous about making it because: having unlimited access is probably a bad thing and I was worried about the process. And fortunately (and unfortunately) it is super easy to make! And I have a feeling I will be trying it out more in the future.

Check out the Make section of MCG for more fun recipes like desserts and savory dishes.

Ingredients

One of the best things about this recipe is that it only takes five ingredients: Whole Milk, Uncooked Rice, Salt, Sugar, and Vanilla. For the most part, this recipe can be made with food generally found in your pantry, except for the milk. This recipe takes a lot of milk.

Also, rice pudding is great to indulge in a variety of toppings. This can add flavors and textures to the mixture allowing for an even greater experience. From what I’ve found, the most common toppings are spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice), chopped nuts (walnut, almonds or pistachios), or dried fruits (commonly raisons).

Process

The process for this is very simple but it does take a long time and it’s best not to walk away from it. We start by mixing together the salt and milk and bringing it to a boil over medium to high heat. I know that some recipes call for sugar at this point but I found it can cause the rice to end up a little harder, so I decided to add it in later.

After the milk begins to boil, turn it down to a low simmer and add in the rice. This will be cooked now on the stove top for about an hour. The mixture should be stirred and monitored so doing something like dishes, or reading a book, is the perfect low engagement activity to do while tending to the pot.

The starch from the rice will release into the milk and cause to thicken up as the heat will also cause some evaporation. The mixture will ends up having a yogurt like consistency at the end. While still on the heat, add the sugar and mix it in. The sugar should be fully melted before the pudding is taken off of the heat.

Then, after taking the mixture off of the heat, add in the vanilla and mix until it is fully combined. I transferred the rice pudding into a different container before placing it in the fridge to cool. Do not cover the pudding before putting it in the fridge because the heat wants to escape and putting a lid on the pudding will make it much harder for the mixture. This can create a skin on the top of the dish. It’s fine to eat, or it can be removed, whatever suits your preference.

Lessons

Patience is a Virtue

This is a dish that does require a fair amount of patience since it requires fairly constant attention and care. It’s easy to want to speed up the process by turning up the heat from low but this is not a good idea! Milk can easily overboil and you don’t want to get a burnt taste running through this delicious pudding