Rice pudding
Desserts made with rice, milk and sugar are common to almost every part of the world. In the Levant, the dish would be boiled and flavoured with rose water and spices; in India it is flavoured with cardamom, saffron and pistachios and in the Far East, fruits and nuts are added. Rice was first cultivated in China but quickly spread to India and Africa via trade routes. It has been grown in Africa and the Middle East for at least 3,000 years and its use in sweet dishes likely spread to Britain during the Crusades when rice would have begun to be imported. While in most countries the rice is boiled with the milk and sugar, in Britain it became more usual to bake it, resulting in a delicious brown crust on the top. Although to be authentic one should only use nutmeg, adding other flavourings such as cinnamon and lemon zest as in Spain and Portugal or apples and raisins common to north European countries can enhance the pudding. As can the addition of the spices and nuts used in India. This recipe is based on that of Hannah Glasse in The Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy (1747).
Equipment
Baking dish
Weighing scales
Measuring jug
Mixing bowl
Kitchen foil
Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/gas 4.
Grease the baking dish with butter.
Place the rice, milk, sugar and nutmeg in a bowl and stir together.
Place this mixture in the prepared baking dish, dot with butter and place in the centre of the preheated oven.
Bake for an hour or so or until the rice has absorbed the milk, is tender and the top is golden. Check the pudding after half an hour to make sure the top isn’t getting too dark. If it is, place a piece of kitchen foil over the top.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately with jam or stewed fruits.
