Comfort Food: Rice Pudding

I'm the only one in my house who likes it, so it's not something I make very often. But when I'm not feeling well (like now) comfort foods really make life more bearable. Last night I made potato cheese soup (will share that recipe later), and today I made rice pudding.

I've tried many rice puddings, and my favorites are those that are baked like a custard, with the dish placed in a pan of boiling water.



<------Larger pan has about 2" of boiling water in it






Rice Pudding

4 eggs, slightly beaten
½ C sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 cups milk, scalded*
1 - 1 ½ C cooked rice
1 tsp vanilla
nutmeg

Mix ingredients, except nutmeg. Turn into a buttered, bowl shaped baking dish. Sprinkle nutmeg. Set bowl in a shallow pan of boiling water and bake at 325 for 1 - 1 ½ hours** or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

*I use fat free milk.

**Today, the recipe was done after 1 hour, 10 minutes of cooking. Usually the top has some cracks/splits in it, so I didn't think it was ready. But, when I jiggled the pan (another test to see if it has set) it was pretty firm. When the knife came out clean, I was sure!

Here's another recipe that I really like. However, I haven't made it in years because I rarely have heavy cream in the fridge, and I never ever have vanilla beans handy! If you do have these on hand, and want a killer rice pudding, I highly recommend this recipe:

Rice Pudding (Country Living, May 1992)

In 2 quart saucepan, heat to a boiling:
1 C water

Add, and cook for 10 minutes:
½ C rice
½ vanilla bean, split
1/4 tsp salt

Add and cook over very low heat until rice is tender:
2 C milk

Preheat oven to 350º.
Lightly butter a 1 ½ quart shallow baking dish.

In small bowl combine:
1 C heavy cream
½ C sugar
2 large eggs

Fold into the rice mixture. Remove the vanilla bean and pour rice mixture into buttered baking dish.

Sprinkle top of mixture evenly with:
cinnamon

Place baking dish in a larger baking pan.
Pour boiling water into the large baking pan to a depth of 1". Bake 30-45 minutes or until pudding is firm and top surface is golden brown.

Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Serve at room temperature or refrigerate, covered, to serve chilled.

Oh, and I learned that someone else in the house likes it as well....the dog. The dog who finished off the bowl while I was taking pictures. *sigh*