Rice pudding with apricots

Rich in flavour and wonderfully creamy in texture, this satisfying rice pudding is a modern version of a popular old favourite. It's flavoured with tangy orange zest and sultanas and paired with a cinnamon-spiced fresh apricot compote.

Serves: 4
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: Approx. 1½ hours

Ingredients

• 850ml full-cream milk
• ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• ½ cup (110g) short-grain rice
• ½ cup (60g) sultanas
• Ground cinnamon to sprinkle
• Apricot compote
• 300g fresh ripe apricots halved and stoned
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 cinnamon stick

Method

• Preheat the oven to 160°C.
• Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the sugar and orange zest.
• Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the milk is almost boiling.
• Put the rice and sultanas in a shallow 1.5 litre ovenproof dish.
• Pour over the milk mixture and stir.
• Bake the pudding for 30 minutes, then stir well.
• Leave to bake for a further 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the pudding is creamy.
• Meanwhile, to make the compote, combine the apricots, orange juice and cinnamon stick in a heavy-based saucepan.
• Cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.
• Remove the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the juice is reduced.
• Remove the cinnamon stick from the compote.
• Sprinkle the top of the rice pudding with a little cinnamon, then serve hot, with the apricot compote.

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This article first appeared in Readers Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.