Fran's Rice Pudding & My Rice Pudding

This is a rich, creamy rice custard pudding, from Fran's Restaurant on College Street in Toronto.

Vanilla pudding and a maraschino cherry on top makes this a special dessert.

In a very large copper-bottomed pot, combine:

• 6 cups homogenized (whole) milk
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 cup white rice

Place pot on stove (not on the hottest burner.)

Stir often, bring to boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low or low (low on my gas cooktop)

When mixture stops bubbling, cover pot, simmer on low 30 minutes.

Watch the pot--when left alone on low on my stove, the covered pudding mixture boils over.

Remove pot lid, simmer 30 minutes more.

Take off heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat:

• 1 cup homogenized milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Optional: 2 tsp cinnamon

Blend egg mixture into hot rice mixture.

Stir in:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins

Pour into large bowl and allow to cool, stirring occasionally so a crust doesn't form on the surface of the pudding, then refrigerate.

Whisk together, then thicken in fridge:

• 1/4 cup Vanilla Pudding Mix sprinkled over
• 1 cup milk.

Mix together:

• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Before serving, spoon a dollop of topping over rice pudding in bowls and sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Top each bowl with a

• maraschino cherry

My Version

I use whatever milk I have on hand, (1, 2 or 3%).

I like more raisins in my rice pudding so I use less sugar.

I add the egg, milk and raisin mixture half-way through the cooking time instead of at the end.

I did this by accident once and I thought the pudding was creamier and the raisins plumper and juicier.

I like the vanilla pudding on top, but have only done that a couple times.

This makes half the amount of the Fran's recipe but you're going to wish you made more, so use a large pot and make double the recipe.

In a medium pot, combine:

• 3 cups homogenized OR 2% milk
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup white rice

Stir often, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover pot.

Simmer, covered, 30 minutes. 

While rice is cooking, beat together:

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Remove pot lid, stir in egg mixture.

Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup raisins.

Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for another 17-30 minutes, until rice is soft and pudding is thick and creamy.

Stir in more cinnamon if you like, to taste.

Refrigerate until serving.

Baked Rice Pudding #1

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup uncooked short-grain white rice (like arborio)

3-1/2 cups milk, almond or rice milk

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Stir rice with milk, vanilla, sugar and raisins in an 8x8 inch baking dish.

Bake in centre of oven 65 minutes or till rice is tender.

Remove dish from oven to a cooling rack.

Stir in lemon zest if desired.

Let stand 10 minutes. Mixture looks runny, but thickens as it stands.

Serve warm or chill in fridge and serve cold.

Baked Rice Pudding #2

• 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine ingredients and pour into a buttered casserole dish.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 2 hours.

When rice is soft, remove the cover.

Keep in the oven till the top is lightly browned.

Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup or a sprinkling of brown sugar and a little cream if desired.