Apricot Rice Pudding Pops

By danyell923

Recipes & Menus | recipes

Apricot Rice Pudding Pops
Thai-flavored rice pudding is frozen into creamy ice pops. Dried apricots add subtle color and a satisfyingly chewy texture.

Makes 8

Recipe by Michael Laiskonis

Photograph by Ditte Isager

July 2012

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer layer removed, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons short-grain rice (such as arborio)
• 1/4 cup 1/4" pieces dried apricots
• 1/4 cup sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation

Combine milk, coconut milk, cream, lemongrass, ginger, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to a boil; remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place rice and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl; let stand for 10 minutes (to soften and release some starch). Drain.

Strain coconut-milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan. Add rice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer (do not stir or rice will become too starchy) until rice is very tender, 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Stir in apricots and sugar. Divide mixture among ice-pop molds. Freeze until beginning to set, 30-45 minutes. Insert a stick into each pop. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour longer. DO AHEAD: Pops can be made 2 weeks ahead. Keep frozen.

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