Old-Fashioned Rice Custard

Name: Old-Fashioned Rice Custard
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 600 ml full-cream milk; 150 ml pure cream; 80 g short-grain white rice; 3 whole Eggs; 75 g caster sugar; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 10 g Unsalted butter; 0.5 whole whole nutmeg; 1 pinch fine salt

A comforting Gippsland farm-style baked rice custard with tender grains of rice, rich vanilla custard, and a fragrant dusting of freshly grated nutmeg.

🇦🇺Australia· Victoria

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 310 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

600 ml full-cream milk — preferably unhomogenised farm-style milk
150 ml pure cream — or thickened cream
80 g short-grain white rice — such as Sunwhite short grain or arborio
3 whole Eggs — large, at room temperature
75 g caster sugar — granulated sugar also works
1 tsp vanilla bean paste — or pure vanilla extract
10 g Unsalted butter — softened, for greasing the dish
½ whole whole nutmeg — freshly grated over top
1 pinch fine salt — to balance sweetness

Equipment

•1.5-litre ceramic baking dish
•Medium saucepan
•Mixing bowl
•Whisk
•Fine grater

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 310 kcal
fat: 16 g
carbs: 32 g
fibre: 0.5 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 310 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (140 degrees C fan-forced).
2
Lightly grease a 1.5-litre ceramic baking dish with the softened butter.
3
Combine the milk, cream, and short-grain rice in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
4
Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes until the rice begins to soften.
5
Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
6
Whisk the eggs, caster sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until smooth and pale.
7
Slowly whisk the warm milk and rice mixture into the egg mixture to combine.
8
Pour the custard mixture into the prepared baking dish.
9
Finely grate fresh nutmeg generously over the surface.
10
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the custard is lightly golden and just set with a slight wobble in the middle.

Chef's tips

Avoid boiling the milk mixture vigorously as this can scorch the bottom of your pan. If you prefer a richer crust, sprinkle an extra teaspoon of caster sugar over the nutmeg before baking. Let the pudding stand for 10 minutes before serving so the custard sets cleanly.

Ingredient substitutions

pure cream → an equal amount of extra full-cream milk for a lighter pudding
short-grain white rice → arborio rice or medium-grain Calrose rice
vanilla bean paste → 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Storage

Cover tightly with foil or beeswax wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat individual portions gently in the microwave on medium power or warm the dish covered with foil in a 150 degrees C oven for 15 minutes.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Baking at too high a temperature, which causes the eggs to curdle and weep liquid.
•Using long-grain rice, which stays too firm and does not yield a creamy texture.
•Skipping the preliminary par-boiling step, resulting in crunchy rice grains in the baked custard.

Serving suggestions

Serve warm with stewed Gippsland rhubarb or poached winter plums.Enjoy cold straight from the fridge the following day with a splash of pouring cream.Pair with a pot of hot black tea for a classic farmhouse supper.