Lennies Ultimate Rice Pudding Recipes

EXTRA CREAMY RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Rinse a large saucepan with cold water. Don't dry. Set on stove-top over medium heat. Add milk. Heat milk to boiling, over medium heat, stirring regularly. WATCH CLOSELY as it nears the boil! When milk hits the boil, it will boil up and possibly over. That's not a good thing.
• When milk boils, stir in rice and keep stirring until mixture returns to the boil. Reduce heat to a shade higher than low, or whatever level on your stove allows the mixture to gently simmer (bubble breaking the surface but not too vigorously). Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring down the mixture every 10 minutes (Important that you stir it down regularly and ensure that there is no rice sticking to the bottom of the pan. You will notice that the mixture has probably formed a skin on top. Don't remove it. Just stir it back in.)
• Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, use a fork to whisk together the cream, sugar, yolks, vanilla and salt. Set aside on counter while rice is cooking, leaving fork in bowl. Set out a ladle to use, as well. I like to do this after the rice starts cooking, so that the mixture comes to room temperature by the time it's needed.
• Once milk/rice has simmered for 30 minutes, continue simmering, but stir down every 5 minutes. With each stir, start testing the done-ness of the rice by tasting a piece. You want the rice to be tender (so no hard center). **Depending on the rice you used, your mixture may start to get thick-ish at this point, with little milky liquid left. If so, add more hot milk or water to the pot, just as much as needed to loosen the mixture up, with each stir. Watch closely and don't let the mixture get dry or it will scorch. Continue cooking, stirring down and adding additional milk, as needed until the rice is tender. Most rice is generally done at about 45-50 minutes of total simmering time. A lot will depend on how vigorously your mixture is boiling, so there is no hard and fast rule. Taste testing is the best indicator.
• Once the rice is cooked, slide the pot off the heat to avoid scorching. Re-whisk your egg mixture with your fork. Using the ladle, spoon out a ladle-full of hot rice/milk mixture, taking as much liquid as possible, but not to worry if you bring some of the rice with it. With the ladle in your left hand (assuming your right-handed, if not, reverse) and using your right hand to start whisking the egg mixture with the fork, start adding the hot mixture to the eggs A DROP AT A TIME, at first, while continuously whisking with the fork. Increase to a slow stream, while whisking continuously, until the entire ladle-full has been added. Get another ladle-full of hot liquid and slowly add it to the egg mixture as well, whisking continuously. Keep adding hot liquid until you've got at least 1 1/2 cups-1 3/4 cups of now warmed liquid in your bowl. Once you have reached that point, pour the warmed egg mixture into your cooking pot.
• Return the saucepan to heat, over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring almost continuously, just until a dime-sized bubble breaks the surface of the pudding. Pudding should be noticeably thickened and saucy, but still more sauce than rice (pudding will set more in the fridge as it cools). If liquid seems almost like milk consistency (rather than heavy cream consistency), it's too thin. Cook, stirring, a little longer. **Note though that you never want to allow the mixture to vigorously boil after the egg mixture has been added, as you may end up with scrambled eggs.
• If using raisins, add to the bottom of a medium-large bowl. When pudding is cooked, immediately pour hot mixture over raisins. Stir well to combine. Allow to stand on counter for about 5 minutes, to allow the steam to reduce, then cover bowl with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator. Allow to cool and set, at least 6 hours or preferably, over-night. Pudding will set as it cools. To serve, simply stir and spoon into bowls. Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired. If pudding is or becomes too thick, simply add a tablespoon or so of heavy cream to mixture and stir in. If you enjoy your rice pudding warmed, you can warm slightly in the microwave or a small saucepan.

LENNIE'S ULTIMATE RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Place water and rice in a large, heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly, then allow to boil until almost all the water is gone (approximately 10 minutes).
• Stir in 4-1/2 cups of the milk and reduce heat to med-low.
• Yes, it looks like a lot of liquid.
• Don't worry.
• (Note: don't use skim milk; it's not rich enough to make a nice pudding.) Into the remaining 1/2 cup of milk, whisk in the sugar and cornstarch.
• Whisk this mixture into the rice, then add the raisins (substitute currents if you prefer).
• Stir.
• Grate nutmeg over the top of the mixture, lightly dusting the entire top.
• Raise the heat to med-high and, stirring almost constantly, bring to a slow boil.
• Reduce heat to low and put lid on pot.
• Simmer (very gently) for anywhere from one hour to 1-1/2 hours-- until the pudding has thickened.
• Stir pot occasionally, making sure the pudding does not stick to the bottom of your pot.
• When pudding is thick, spoon some out into a custard cup which contains the egg yolk.
• Do this about a teaspoon at a time, to slowly warm the yolk.
• Any faster, or in any greater quantity, will cause the yolk to curdle.
• When yolk is beaten and warmed, stir into pudding.
• Cook for two more minutes; remove from heat.
• Stir in vanilla (pure extract only please, not artificial), then pour pudding into an attractive serving dish.
• Sprinkle cinnamon on top and let cool to room temperature.
• Do not add cinnamon while cooking or the pudding will have an unpleasant gray/brown colour.
• Refrigerate if not serving right away.
• Canadian comfort food!

RICE PUDDING WITH GOLDEN RAISINS

Steps:

• In a medium heavy-bottom pot, combine milk, cream, sugar, rice and salt. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and drop them in along with the pod. Stir in cinnamon and orange peel. Bring mixture to a simmer; cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until rice is tender and mixture is slightly thickened, 30 to 40 minutes. Do not let mixture come to a boil and don't let it get too thick, because it will thicken as it cools. Stir in raisins and let pudding rest for 5 minutes to soften them.
• Serve pudding warm, room temperature or chilled, with dollops of crème fraîche, if desired.

OLD FASHIONED CREAMY RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir remaining 1/2 cup milk, golden raisins, beaten egg, and white sugar into the rice mixture; stirring continually. Continue cooking until egg is set, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; stir butter and vanilla extract into the pudding.