Celebrity baker and cook John Whaite shares a seasonal delight from his new book, Flash in the Pan
Much as I love a traditional rice pudding, with stout grains of rice flavoured only with nutmeg and jam, there's a lot to be said for this quicker, up-to-date version. The combination of flavours is something I'm sure most of you will be familiar with now - it has been a 'trend' for many years.
And while I usually turn my nose up at food trends, this is one that I have fallen deeply in love with - not least because it's so inextricably linked to Christmas, my favourite holiday.
This version uses basmati rice, which is much quicker to cook. It's important that you don't wash the rice as you normally would, as those extra starches will only serve to further thicken this bowl of gloopy joy.
Ingredients
- 150g basmati rice
- 300ml water
- 250ml whole milk
- 50ml double cream
- 100g canned pumpkin purée
- 100ml maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the cream top
- 200ml double cream
- 25ml maple syrup
- 1 tsp coffee extract
To decorate
- Chocolate-covered coffee beans (optional)
- 25g dark chocolate (60% cocoa solids), finely grated
Method
Put the basmati rice, water and a pinch of salt into a medium saucepan with a lid. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 7-10 minutes, until the rice is fairly soft and the water has all evaporated. Do keep a watchful eye on the pan, and if the pan boils dry too quickly, just add a splash of water.
Stir the rice well, scraping it off the bottom of the pan, then add the milk, cream, pumpkin purée, maple syrup and spices, with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes, until very thick and gloopy.
Meanwhile, make the cream top. Put the cream, maple syrup and coffee extract into a mixing bowl and whisk to very soft and floppy peaks - the cream should hold peaks that threaten to disappear if you so much as look at them wrong.
Divide the rice pudding among 4 bowls, then dollop a generous mound of the coffee cream on top. Finish with a scattering of chocolate-covered coffee beans, if using, and a grating of dark chocolate.
Serves 4
