OLD-SCHOOL RICE PUDDING WITH CREME CHANTILLY & HONEYCOMB

Put the rice, almond milk and almond extract into a large pan and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cover and simmer gently for

25-30 minutes or until the rice is tender but still slightly nutty in texture. Stir occasionally to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

In the meantime, make the honeycomb. Line a baking tray with silicone-coated baking paper. Put the sugar and golden syrup into a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Cook until the mixture reaches 150°C on a sugar thermometer, by which point it will be golden and bubbly – you want the sugar to dissolve and become a rich amber colour (if you don’t have a sugar thermometer, see tip across the bottom of the page). Take off the heat and quickly whisk in the bicarbonate of soda (it will start to rise and foam up). Avoid the temptation to stir too much, as the less you stir, the bigger the bubbles will be. You want to keep the air trapped. Pour quickly into the baking tray and leave to cool slightly before placing in the fridge.

Once the honeycomb is cool and firm, bash up half of it roughly. You won’t need the rest for this recipe but can store it for a treat, in an airtight container for several days.

To make the crème Chantilly, scrape out the seeds from the vanilla pod and whisk them with the cream and sugar to stiff peaks.

Add sugar to taste to the rice and serve the pudding either warm or chilled, topped with the crème Chantilly and with the honeycomb shards sprinkled on top.