Traditional Rice Pudding

This is the traditional British recipe for the classic Baked rice pudding. When domestic ovens started to become more commonplace from the 1730s, rice puddings (which had previously been cooked on the stove or on an open fire) began to be baked instead. So, in Hannah Glasse's 1747 volume The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy we see recipes for boiled as well as baked rice puddings.


This pudding is the direct antecedent of those baked rice puddings that first appeared in Georgian period cookery.

If you are not a big fan of rice pudding, why not try my North African inspired lemon rice pudding instead?

Rice Pudding

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

25g (1 oz) butter

100g (4 oz) pudding rice (ie short-grain rice)

75g (3 oz) granulated sugar

800ml (3 1/3 cups) whole milk

freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste

fruit jam, to serve

Method:

Grease an oven-proof dish with the butter. Add the rice, sugar and milk. Stir to combine then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 130ºC (ºF, Gas Mark 2) and bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

After this time, give the pudding another stir then dot the remaining butter over the top. Sprinkle a little freshly-grated nutmeg over the surface then return to the oven and bake, uncovered, without stirring for a further 120 to 150 minutes, or until the rice is creamy and the skin is nicely browned.

Serve hot, accompanied by a generous dollop of your favourite jam (if desired).