I was first introduced to rice pudding at school and although I enjoyed it, I'll admit it wasn't the most inspiring of desserts. I'm pretty sure the approximate recipe was to combine rice, milk and sugar in a massive industrial-sized tray and bake it in the oven. They would serve it with a dollop of strawberry jam, which was nice enough. This recipe is another level when compared to normal rice pudding however; using coconut milk instead of regular milk is an absolute game changer. It works well with any kind of berries, but I prefer blueberries. I've added coconut chips and maple syrup for garnish at the end for a bit of glamour.

Coconut and Blueberry Rice Pudding Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 160 g short grain pudding rice
  • 100 g caster sugar
  • 2 400g tins coconut milk (whole fat)
  • 300 ml double cream, plus a little extra
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
  • 400 g blueberries
  • 2 tbsp coconut chips
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup

Method

  1. Add the coconut milk to a a wide, heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium-high heat. Add the rice and the sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cream and ground cinnamon, and when the pan has returned to the boil, reduce the heat to low and cook at a gentle simmer for 40-45 mins until the rice is tender, adding a splash more cream (or milk) if it becomes too thick.

  2. Whilst the rice is cooking, make the blueberry compote. Heat a saucepan over a high heat and, once it's very hot, add the blueberries (making sure to save a few for garnishing the bowls at the end). Stir vigorously until the blueberries have broken down. Bring to the boil, and once you have a stew-like consistency, remove from the heat and set aside.

  3. When the rice is cooked stir in the blueberry compote, ensuring to not combine it completely, in order to create a marbled effect. Portion into bowls, then garnish with the coconut chips, the reserved blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup.