Creamy Riverina Rice Pudding

Name: Creamy Riverina Rice Pudding
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 150 g riverina medium-grain white rice; 800 ml full-cream milk; 250 ml thickened cream; 80 g caster sugar; 25 g Butter; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 1 tsp lemon zest; 0.5 tsp whole nutmeg; 1 pinch fine salt

A comforting slow-baked rice pudding made with Riverina medium-grain rice, whole milk, and cream, topped with a golden nutmeg crust.

🇦🇺Australia· New South Wales

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 100 min
Total: 110 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 360 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

150 g riverina medium-grain white rice — rinsed in cold water and drained
800 ml full-cream milk
250 ml thickened cream
80 g caster sugar
25 g Butter — divided into 10g and 15g portions
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp lemon zest — finely grated
½ tsp whole nutmeg — freshly grated
1 pinch fine salt

Equipment

•2-litre ceramic baking dish
•Medium saucepan
•Wooden spoon
•Measuring jug
•Fine grater

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 360 kcal
fat: 18 g
carbs: 44 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 7 g
calories: 360 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees C (130 degrees C fan-forced).
2
Grease a 2-litre ceramic baking dish generously with 10g of butter.
3
Scatter the rinsed medium-grain rice evenly over the base of the dish.
4
Add milk, cream, caster sugar, vanilla bean paste, lemon zest, and salt to a saucepan.
5
Warm the milk mixture over medium-low heat until steam rises and sugar dissolves.
6
Pour the warm milk mixture gently over the rice in the baking dish.
7
Dot the remaining 15g of butter over the surface of the milk.
8
Grate the fresh nutmeg evenly across the entire surface of the pudding.
9
Bake uncovered for 90 to 100 minutes until the rice is tender and a golden skin forms.
10
Rest the pudding on the bench for 10 minutes before spooning into bowls.

Chef's tips

Do not stir the pudding during baking so the traditional golden skin can form properly. Use medium-grain or arborio rice, as long-grain rice will not produce a creamy sauce.

Ingredient substitutions

thickened cream → extra full-cream milk plus 15g extra butter
freshly grated nutmeg → ground cinnamon
vanilla bean paste → pure vanilla extract

Storage

Cover and refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in the microwave or a low oven with a splash of milk to loosen the grains.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using long-grain rice, which remains too dry and separates instead of thickening.
•Baking at too high a heat, which boils the dairy and curdles the pudding.
•Stirring during baking, which breaks the prized golden baked top.