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Apricot halves sit above softly baked vanilla rice pudding. A gentle oven and one halfway stir keep the rice creamy while the fruit warms and the surface turns lightly golden.
Ingredients
- 120 g short-grain pudding rice
- 800 ml whole milk
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 70 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 300 g canned apricot halves, drained
- 15 g butter
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Method
- Heat oven to 160°C / 320°F. Use 5 g of the butter to grease a deep 1.5-liter baking dish. Rinse the rice briefly and drain well.
- Mix rice, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla in the dish. Dot with the remaining 10 g butter and set the dish on a baking tray.
- Bake for 45 minutes, then stir carefully to redistribute the rice and break up any early skin. The mixture will still be loose.
- Arrange the drained apricot halves over the surface, cut sides up, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Return to the oven for 45–55 minutes, until the rice is tender and the pudding creamy beneath a lightly golden surface.
- If rice is still firm near the end, stir gently around the fruit, add a small splash of hot milk and continue baking until tender. A little loose liquid is desirable because the pudding thickens as it rests.
- Leave for 15 minutes before spooning into six bowls with some apricot in each. Serve warm, with the creamy rice visible beneath the fruit.
- Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours for up to two days. Reheat thoroughly with a little milk to loosen the rice.
Choose pudding rice
Short-grain pudding rice releases starch into the milk. Long-grain rice gives a different texture and may need different timing.
Drain the apricots
Extra syrup thins and sweetens the pudding unpredictably. Weigh the fruit after draining.
Leave it slightly loose
Rice continues absorbing liquid after baking. Remove the dish while the center is creamy rather than dry.
FAQs
- How many servings does this make?
Makes 6 servings using the pan or equipment listed.
- What should I check before serving?
Leave for 15 minutes before spooning into six bowls with some apricot in each. Serve warm, with the creamy rice visible beneath the fruit.
- How should I store leftovers?
Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours for up to two days. Reheat thoroughly with a little milk to loosen the rice.
