Saucy rice pud French men love
I love old-school desserts – crumbles, steamed puddings, bread and butter pudding, the list goes on. One of the easiest and most comforting to make is rice pudding.
This recipe uses risotto rice, which gives a luxurious result, and can be served warm in winter or chilled in summer. To serve it chilled, allow it to cool for 15 minutes then stir through the whipped cream before chilling – this will stop it from becoming rock-like in the fridge.
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to have ‘‘riz au lait’’ in Paris, and it was served like this, with a caramel sauce and praline walnuts.
The addition of flavour and texture elevates it from the rice pudding grandma used to make (fabulous as that was) to something a little more special. There are many other variations you can make – instead of the caramel and walnuts, try the pudding topped in sherrysoaked prunes or stir through sherry-soaked sultanas then top with toasted flaked almonds.
For even more decadence you can drop in a few squares of dark chocolate and stir through to melt before serving with vanilla bean icecream.
In France, it is purported to be every French man’s favourite dessert – and while I have no way to verify that, I can confirm it is simple, nurturing and delicious.
French-style rice pudding
Preparation: 5 minutes. Cooking: 40 minutes. Serves: 4-6.
4 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean
1⁄4 – 1⁄3 cup sugar (more for sweet-tooths)
1 cup Arborio or other risotto rice 1⁄2 cup cream, softly whipped Put the milk in a medium-size heavy-based saucepan. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Put both pod and beans into the milk. Add the sugar, whisk to combine and heat together over a medium heat until just simmering. Add the rice and cook over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice is soft and creamy, about 35 minutes. Serve the rice pudding topped with a little whipped cream, a drizzle of salted caramel sauce and a crumbling of walnut praline.
Salted caramel sauce
Preparation: 5 minutes. Cooking: 8-10 minutes. Makes: 3⁄4 cup. cup caster sugar 2 tablespoons water
180ml cream
1 tablespoon butter teaspoon sea salt Put the caster sugar and water together in a pan and whisk to start the sugar dissolving. Cook, without stirring, over a medium heat until the mixture has crystallised then turned a transparent light golden colour.
While the sugar caramelises, microwave the cream for about 30 seconds to warm it slightly. Whisk the cream into the sugar (it will froth up madly, but just whisk hard until it is all incorporated). Add the butter and salt, whisk to combine then store in a jar once cooled. To re-heat, pour the caramel sauce into a jug and microwave in 30-second bursts.
Walnut praline
Preparation: 5 minutes. Cooking: 6-8 minutes.
cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 cup walnut halves Put a square of baking paper on a flat, sided dish and sprinkle on the walnut halves in an even layer. Put the caster sugar and water together in a pan and whisk to start the sugar dissolving. Cook without stirring over a medium heat until the mixture has crystallised, then turned a transparent light golden colour. Keep an eagle eye on the caramel so that you don’t miss the magical point between it turning golden and rich, and black and bitter.
As soon as you have a golden amber liquid, pour it over the walnuts to coat. Once the praline is cold you can smash it into chunks with the end of a rolling pin, or for a fine praline powder it can be whizzed in a food processor – it’s up to you whether you like your praline chunky or fine! Recipes, food styling and photography by Sarah Tuck