This traditional baked rice pudding recipe will take you straight back to childhood. A classic nursery dish loved by the whole family, it is creamy, soothing, satisfying and delicious. Just add jam!
Baked
rice pudding
Surely baked rice pudding is the best comfort food? Rich, creamy and soothing, it takes you straight back to the nursery. When it’s fresh out of the oven, it really doesn’t get any better.
See also
Classic rice pudding
- : creamy and made in a pan on the stove One
of the most universal British puddings, there are few things as comforting as a rice pudding. Creamy and delicious, it cooks slowly in the oven while you continue with other things: a genuine, uncomplicated, single-pot dish that makes everyone happy and creates very little washing.
While there are other ways to make a arroz con leche, this baked rice pudding recipe is surely the most traditional and the best. You don’t get the skin the same way when you make it in a saucepan or pressure cooker, and I don’t feel like you get the same taste either.
Serve your classic baked rice pudding with a spoonful of jam on top for the true “back to tradition” vibe.
Why make
baked rice pudding
- a wonder of a single
- pot cooked in the oven and doesn’t need attention
- deliciously creamy and full of simple and
- satisfying
flavor
Baked rice pudding
- ingredients Rice pudding or other short-grain white rice. You can use risotto rice if you want.
- Milk – any type, I use semi-skimmed
cream –
- double or thick cream (see notes on variations) Vanilla –
- not absolutely necessary, but I like it. Use real vanilla extract or paste, rather than artificial vanilla “essence,” which just doesn’t taste so good.
- Sugar – golden melted sugar
for preference
- Nutmeg – traditional, but again, not absolutely essential (see variations)
- Butter – just a little, salted or unsalted, to grease the dish How to
make baked rice pudding – step by step
Before you begin, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, tips, and suggestions so you can do this perfectly every time.
Scroll down to see the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One: Heat oven to 140°C (fan) / 280°F (fan) / Gas brand 3. Butter an oven-proof serving dish (choose a shallow 1-liter dish). You can use your fingers or a piece of kitchen paper to spread the butter.
Step Two – Add the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla. Stir well and then add the rice.
Step three – Add the rice. It seems like a lot of liquid at this stage, but rice needs it and will absorb it.
Step four: Grate or sprinkle some nutmeg over the pudding and place in the oven.
Step five: Bake for about an hour and a half, until a golden skin is formed. Rice should be soft and cooked. Serve and enjoy.
Keep in mind that if you check your pudding halfway, or even towards the end of cooking, it will appear that there is too much liquid. However, it is quickly absorbed as soon as the pudding begins to cool.
Service Tip
Rice pudding is traditionally served alone or with a tablespoon of jam on top. You can eat it hot or cold, so it’s very easy to use leftovers.
Once cooled, the pudding will be a little drier and denser. Drizzle some extra cream on it if desired.
Rice pudding is commonly served with a tablespoon of jam, especially for children. For lighter coverage, adults may prefer some fruits, such as roasted plums.
Flavor variations
- – Add a little more or a little less vanilla. Change the nutmeg for a couple of pods of cardamom, cloves, cinnamon or even a bay leaf.
- Citrus – Replace vanilla with lemon or orange zest for a touch of citrus
.
- Add a handful of raisins or sultanas for extra interest
.
- Spices If you don’t like nutmeg, try adding some cardamom pods, or a pinch of cinnamon (or a short piece of cinnamon), some cloves, or even a bay leaf.
- Cream – You can make this recipe with simple cream but use 200 ml of cream and 550 ml of milk.
- Make it sweeter if you prefer. You can double the sugar or even use a dark brown sugar for a caramel/caramel flavor. Remember, though, that if you’re serving your pudding with jam, you don’t want the rice to be too sweet.
- Thin rice pudding – You can use skim milk, although I really don’t think it’s that good. Much better serve a small portion of baked rice pudding!
Storage
I
think traditional rice pudding is eaten best right away, as I enjoy it hot and the texture changes once it has cooled. However, some people like it cold, and there’s nothing wrong with that!
Refrigerator – Keep your rice pudding covered in the refrigerator for 3 days and reheat on the stove or microwave. You may need to add a little more milk or cream to loosen it.
Freezer – Yes, rice pudding can be frozen! Let it cool, pack it in an airtight box and freeze it for up to 3 months. Simply thaw and reheat. Again, you may need some extra fluid when you reheat it.
Tips and suggestions
- Make sure the baking dish is properly buttered
.
- Rice pudding is best for this baked rice pudding recipe, but a rice with short-grain risotto will work too. It should be starchy and decompose well, so you won’t want paella rice (which is short-grained but chosen to maintain its structure) or long-grain rice. These won’t produce that creamy consistency.
- If you don’t like a skin on your baked rice pudding, cover the dish and stir a couple of times during cooking.
- This is a dish that takes some time to cook. Don’t be tempted to turn on the oven in hopes of a shorter cooking time. If you do this, the pudding will dry out and the texture will not be right.
Frequently asked questions
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