Double Vanilla Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

By mitzzy

A comfort food classic. You can make rice pudding on the stove top or in the oven. Some recipes call for eggs but I don't find them necessary but if you like, add 2 eggs to this recipe for a somewhat firmer rice pudding. Oven baked rice puddings are softer but if you like mushy, as the rice pudding is about done (in the oven) stir in more milk to get the required/desired pudding texture you like. Stove top pudding is more gloppy whereas oven baked is more set and something you scoop out and offer with whipped cream or a drizzle of light cream. I like rice pudding warm or cold. A West Indian friend of mine always added canned mandarin orange segments to hers and a Latin friend warms and tops it with dulce de leche. Aside from the basics, the only thing you need for this recipe is fresh nutmeg and a nutmeg grater of any sort (microplane is fine)

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup light cream or half and half
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 eggs, optional *
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raisins
• Nutmeg, a lot of fresh gratings
• Scrapings of a vanilla bean
• Cinnamon
• *with eggs, this is a more set rice pudding. Without them, it is a bit more of a creamy custard. I like it both ways.

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

with eggs, this is a more set rice pudding. Without them, it is a bit more of a creamy custard. I like it both ways.

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Lightly spray a 2 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix everything except raisins (and the eggs if you are using them) and place in baking dish. Bake uncovered about 1 hour. Stir in raisins, dust top lightly with cinnamon and nutmeg and vanilla bean scrapings; reduce heat to 250 F. and bake for another 30 minutes or until rice is tender. If rice seems not quite done and/or the liquid is drying out too fast, add in a bit more milk and/or water (1/4 cup at a time), mix and allow to bake until tender and set.

Serve with whipped cream, or plain cream or dulce de leche or milk or as is!

6-8 servings