The basic recipe.
It’s now winter here in Australia and all the warm comfort foods are making an appearance on the family table. From roasts to casseroles, soups to stews. There is nothing more delicious than finishing up a meal with a warm, tasty rice pudding. Perfect for a cold winter’s night, or simply just as a treat.
This rice pudding recipe is now my go-to. I’ve seen many recipes where you bake this dessert in the oven. This is slightly different – it’s cooked on the stove top. This means I have better control over how it turns out than if it is baked. It was a special request by my oldest who has a fondness for this creamy comforting dessert.
Looking into the origins of rice pudding, it’s quite unclear where it first orginated. There are thoughts it was either China or India – both countries eat a lot of rice. While researching, I’ve learnt that a version of rice pudding in almost every part of the world today. In essence the core ingredients are the same – rice, water and/or milk, and cinnamon. But each cuisine has a slight spin on it. For instance with:
- Eggs
- Sweeteners (eg. honey, sugar, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk
- Spices (eg. cardamon, ginger, nutmeg)
- Add-ins (eg. pistachios, cranberries, raisins, walnut, lemon zest)
- Type of milk (eg. full cream, coconut, evaporated).
While you can have fun making different versions, this is a basic recipe. It uses an egg, cinnamon, and white sugar. The added egg creates a custard-type consistency to thicken up the pudding. Think of this as a dessert risotto.
I have no idea where I got this recipe from. This has been saved as a draft on this website for a while. While I’ve made it several times, it’s only now I’ve managed to take a photo of it. I hope you make this recipe to see why it is a family favourite.
Want another delicious recipe?
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love others available here. From pastas to risottos, cookies to desserts, and bliss balls to gluten-free options with everything in between. There is truly something here for everyone. I have developed this website to provide family-friendly recipes where I maximise both fresh produce while minimising cost.
Simple Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 2½ cups water
- 1 cup uncooked aborio rice
- 2 cups milk, divided
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- In another saucepan, combine the cooked rice, with 1½ cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Whisk together the remaining ½ cup milk with beaten egg, then add to the rice. Cook 5 minutes more, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon on top (optional) before serving. This is delicious served warm but can be eaten when chilled too.
Notes
- You can add optional extras into the rice pudding when both butter and vanilla are added. For instance raisins, cranberries or toasted almond slivers.
- Alternatively, you can add these on top of the pudding when serving.