Jeremy Vincent’s cinnamon-infused rice pudding recipe

Combine rice with the pungent flavour of cinnamon to create a delicious winter pudding.

Spice it up: You can serve this cinnamon-infused rice pudding with cream. Picture: Dannika Bonser

ONE of the most enduring of desserts is rice pudding. It works in all climates — great as a chilled, sticky risotto-like summer dish, or as a warm and creamy comfort dessert in cooler weather.

The Italians, no strangers to cooking with rice, also combine rice with the pungent flavour of cinnamon to create a delicious winter pudding.

The rice used is arborio, the special short grains that constitute the key ingredient in that popular Italian dish, risotto.

Cinnamon has a long history in the kitchen. As early as the first century AD, 350 grams of cinnamon was thought to be equal in value to over five kilograms of silver, about 15 times the value of silver per weight.

And its uses go beyond mere taste. Medieval physicians used cinnamon in medicines to treat coughing, hoarseness and sore throats.

As a sign of remorse, Roman Emperor Nero ordered a year’s supply of cinnamon be burnt after he murdered his wife. How thoughtful!

CINNAMON-INFUSED RICE PUDDING

THIS rice pudding is served with a drizzling of pouring cream, and I also like to serve some stewed fruit alongside — it’s the perfect accompaniment.

Picture: Dannika Bonser

The dish can be made as a large single serve to be divided generously between six people, or you can prepare it in individual dishes.

Serves 6

4 cups milk, or 3 cups milk and 1 cup pouring cream

1½ cups arborio rice

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/3 cup sugar

90g unsalted butter

3 eggs, separated

Extra pouring cream, to serve

In a large saucepan over moderate heat, bring the milk to a boil. Add the rice and stir well. Boil gently until all the milk is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cinnamon, sugar and 75g of the butter. Let cool to room temperature.

Pre-heat the oven the 180C (160C fan).

Add the yolks to the cold rice mixture, mixing well. In a bowl beat the eggs whites until stiff peaks form. Fold them gently into the rice mixture.

Brush a 23cm round mould, or six individual moulds, with the remaining butter. Press the rice mixture into the mould and smooth the top.

Bake the pudding until set and lightly brown on top, about an hour, or 20 minutes if individual moulds have been used.

Remove the pudding from the oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack.

Slip a knife around the edges and invert on to a serving plate. Serve while still warm, drizzled with more pouring cream.

SAVOURY CINNAMON

CINNAMON also features in Spanish and Moroccan cooking, often in savoury dishes, where cinnamon quills (sticks) are sometimes featured. These can be bought from supermarkets in small packets and are worth having in the pantry.

For a simple savoury dish, to serve 4, heat a little oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and put in a 5cm cinnamon quill with some fine onion rings.

Saute until the onion begins to dry out. Toss in some bite-size sweet potato pieces (about three medium potatoes) and stir-fry for 5 minutes, until the onion begins to turn brown.

Stir in ½ a cup of water, ½ a teaspoon of ground ginger, ½ a cup of sultanas, a dash of cayenne pepper and a light sprinkling of caster sugar.

Turn the heat down, cover and cook gently until the sweet potatoes are tender and all the water has been absorbed.

Cook further without the lid to evaporate any excess liquid.

BUYING AND STORING

STORE powder or quills (sticks) in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

It is best to buy small quantities of ground cinnamon as it quickly becomes stale, losing flavour and aroma.

Grind your own from cinnamon quills using a spice or coffee grinder for best flavour or use whole cinnamon quills.

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