Exquisite Rice and Semolina Pudding Recipes

A creamy and smooth dessert so easy and quick to make with many flavour combinations. A perfect rice pudding should have a very tender rice grain and a rich, creamy texture.

You can use different types of milk and vary the rice. The cooking times described below are adjusted to round rice or quick-cooking rice that easily absorbs moisture. For more rustic, whole-grain or slower-cooking rice (over 15 or 20 minutes), the cooking time should be increased by at least 10 minutes or more, as well as the quantity of rice, to obtain the desired consistency.

• 140 g round rice or rice that absorbs more moisture or is quick-cooking (otherwise add 10-15% more rice),
• 70 cl full-fat milk,
• 40 cl liquid cream,
• 90 g blond cane caster sugar,
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) liquid vanilla extract, a split vanilla bean or 20 g vanilla sugar (remove 10 g from the total sugar).

Optional flavours instead of vanilla:

• 60 to 100 g raisins, slices of dried apricots, dried figs, prunes or other dried fruits,
• 1 g (1 slightly rounded teaspoon) powdered cinnamon,
• Replace cow's or sheep's milk by vegetable milk of almond, coconut, rice (subtract the quantity of caster sugar from the quantity of sugar added to the vegetable milk),
• Replace sugar with flavoured honey (or substitute only part of it),
• Replace the liquid cream with only milk; in this case, use 1 litre of full-fat milk, but this will be less creamy and firmer; you can get creaminess with 2 to 5 g of corn or potato starch, or rice flour,
• Liquid caramel at the bottom of the jar or on top, or brown sugar that melts with moisture, or a fruit coulis…

In a saucepan, pour the milk, liquid cream, sugar, rice and vanilla bean (if used). Mix with a whisk. Bring the mixture to a boil and then cook over low heat (3/10) for 35 minutes in the pan closed with the lid on (add at least 10 minutes more with slower-cooking rice that absorbs moisture less quickly). Stir occasionally every 10 minutes. Then, off the heat, but still covered, leave to cool for 20 minutes. Then remove the vanilla bean or stir in the liquid vanilla at this point. Pour into jars and chill in the refrigerator.

Rice pudding keeps for at least 5 days in the refrigerator in a closed container.

This quantity represents 6 to 8 servings. It is easy to divide the quantities by two.

You can vary the presentations with a crumble on top, then baked in the oven to crisp, or in the manner of a crème brulée by sprinkling the top with sugar which will be caramelized on the grill or flame to give a thin crust.

Here is a version of rice pudding with fine wheat semolina. It is even easier and quicker to make with many flavour combinations. It offers a different, finer and melting texture.

• 100 g fine wheat semolina (+10 g for a firmer texture),
• 1 litre of full-fat milk,
• 90 g blond cane caster sugar.

Optional flavours:

• 60 to 100 g raisins, slices of dried apricots, dried figs, prunes or other dried fruits,
• 1 g (1 slightly rounded teaspoon) powdered cinnamon,
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) liquid vanilla extract, or one split vanilla bean, or 20 g vanilla sugar (remove 10 g of the total sugar),
• Replace cow's or sheep's milk by vegetable milk of almond, coconut, rice (subtract the quantity of caster sugar from the quantity of sugar added to the vegetable milk),
• Replace sugar with flavoured honey (or substitute only part of it),
• Liquid caramel at the bottom of the jar or on top, or brown sugar that melts with moisture, or a fruit coulis…

In a saucepan, pour the milk and sugar and bring to a boil while whisking to dissolve the sugar. Then add the semolina in slow pouring to avoid lumps while stirring with a whisk. Cook over low heat (3 to 4/10) for about 5 to 6 minutes while stirring occasionally with a whisk. The semolina should thicken while remaining soft, barely liquid, without becoming firm or pasty. Stir in the flavours, then pour into jars and chill in the refrigerator.

Semolina pudding keeps at least 5 days in the refrigerator in a closed container.

This quantity represents 6 to 8 servings. It is easy to divide the quantities by two.

You can vary the presentations with a crumble on top, then baked in the oven to crisp, or in the manner of a crème brulée by sprinkling the top with sugar which will be caramelized on the grill or flame to give a thin crust.