Desserts – Slow Cooked Rice Pudding

We all love our slow cookers in The Challenge community but sometimes we forget that slow cooking can be utilised across a number of areas. There are people who swear they are the very best way to make porridge; others make jam.

And then there’s dessert.

The lovely Carol Duncan from ABC 1233 Newcastle called me and we chatted about using slow cookers and it was her enquiry that prompted this recipe. It is possible to make desserts, but you have to understand a little kitchen science to make it work well. Anything baked may have to be reserved for a conventional oven, where convected heat is a necessity, but certainly you can stew fruit, make eggy custards, bread and butter puddings, even silky cheesecakes.

This basic rice pudding was just begging for a slow-cooked adaptation. Using arborio rice and a similar method to making a risotto really helps the slow cooking process, but even so, this is not something you could leave bubbling away all day while you are at work. Five hours on low is just about your limit, or a little over 2 hours on high. Still, if your children are old enough, there’s no reason you couldn’t get them to switch it on when they get in from school.

Serves 4 to 6 people

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp butter; 1½ cups arborio rice; 3½ cups milk; 1 cup cream; 1 vanilla pod OR ½ tsp vanilla extract; ¼ cup caster sugar; 3 egg yolks

METHOD

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Melt it then add arborio rice. Stir well to completely coat the rice grains.

Add the milk, cream and the scraped out seeds of the vanilla pod or the extract. Stir to combine. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks and sugar together and set aside.

Pour the rice and milk into the slow cooker and add the egg mixture. Stir well. If you want to, throw in the vanilla pod for extra flavour, but be sure to remove it when you serve up the finished dessert.

Cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 to 2½ hours.

Allow to cool slightly before serving with a dollop of jam or some crushed berries piled up in the centre of the dish.

COST

$5.50 using vanilla extract for four to six people