Layered Apple and Rice Pudding
This recipe is inspired by an Apple crumble rice pudding recipe I came across in the “Easy cooking the Costco way” cookbook a while back. It has layers of store bought rice pudding, canned apple pie filling and a topping made with Rice Krispies cereal. I wanted to come up with a more flavorful dish using fresh ingredients. Total cooking time is no more than 45 minutes since you can cook apples and make the almond topping while rice is simmering. This dessert is best served warm.
Any variety of apple that keeps its shape after cooking can be used. My favorite is Granny smith, a widely available variety that holds up well under heat and has the right balance of sweet-tart flavor. Pink Lady ,Winesap and Jonagold varieties would work well too. If you prefer less tart flavor, try Crispin, Braeburn or Honeycrisp. Cornstarch is used for thickening the juices released by the apples.
I experimented with different types of rice to come up with a pudding that is extra creamy. Arborio rice is the grain of choice, which is an Italian short grain variety high in amylopectin starch. Because of its high starch content, the pudding comes out soft and velvety. Arborio rice should be rinsed briefly and strained immediately to retain the surface starch which is essential for the creamy texture. Widely available Jasmine rice would be my second choice, but you can use any long grain rice in its place. Using Basmati rice resulted in a very aromatic pudding but wasn’t very creamy. Use full fat coconut milk, not the light variety to get the creamy, velvety pudding texture.
Sliced almond was my choice for the topping but any other chopped nut would work, especially cashews. Caramelized nuts should be cooled and kept in a sealed container until it is ready to be used; otherwise it can lose its crunch.
Hi everyone, my name is Aswathy. I love trying out new recipes but not so much of the cleaning. These posts are mostly about cooking and will include recipes from all over the world.
Ingredients and Instructions
- 1/2 cup Arborio rice or any long-grain variety, rinsed briefly
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 plus 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup coconut milk (preferably full fat)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
To prepare Rice pudding – In a saucepan stir together 1/2 cup rice, 2 cups of water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for about 20 min. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 1/2 cup of water, return to a simmer, uncovered, for another 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender and the mixture is thick and creamy. Stir occasionally. Add 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla, mix well and turn the heat off. Put the lid back on and set it aside.
- 1 lb. apple, about two large
- 1/3 cup brown sugar or jaggery
- 1 tbs. butter
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tbs. cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp. salt
To prepare cooked apples – While the rice is cooking, peel, core and chop the apples into half inch cubes. Transfer onto a saucepan and toss together with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt. To prevent cornstarch from clumping up, make a slurry using 1 tablespoon cold water and 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch and add that to the pan and mix everything well. Cover and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes at medium low heat. Apples should be soft to the touch at this point. Set this aside.
- 2 tbs. butter
- 1 cup sliced almond or any other chopped nut
- 4 tbs. sugar
To Caramelize almonds – Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, add almonds and sugar and mix. Cook until almonds turn golden brown, and sugar caramelized, about 4 to 5 min. Stir constantly and watch closely to prevent from burning. Transfer and spread onto a plate. Break up any large clumps. Cool completely and store in a container with a tight lid.
To Assemble pudding – In a one quart serving dish, layer cooked apples followed by rice pudding. Caramelized almonds should be added to the top right before serving to keep the crunch. It is best served warm and can be reheated in the microwave oven.
