Saffron rice pudding recipe with prunes

  • 2

    Serving

  • Prep time

    Prep Time 25'

  • Prep time

    Total Time 30'

  • Prep time

    Easy

  • Prep time

    Vegan

recipe banner
  • 2

    Serving

  • Prep time

    Prep Time 25'

  • Prep time

    Total Time 30'

  • Prep time

    Easy

  • Prep time

    Vegan

Think you know rice pudding? We’ve followed this ultimate comfort food around the world, from Spain to Norway to Iran, to find the inspiration for our very own rice pudding recipe.

Comfort food

There’s something magical about rice pudding. We remember the warming combination of soft, starchy rice combined with rich, creamy milk from our childhood, where it acted as the culinary equivalent of a warm blanket.

Back then, rice pudding generally came out of a tin or perhaps as (the best) part of a school dinner. It was ubiquitous and universally loved, topped with a hefty spoonful of raspberry jam.

Times have moved on since then. While there will always be a place in our hearts for the rice pudding of yesteryear, it has been somewhat elevated since then.

The key to the transformation of rice pudding lies in understanding where it came from, and the myriad creative ways it has been incorporated into cultures around the world.

The English Huswife

The earliest record of rice pudding in the UK comes from around 1615. A recipe entitled ‘Whitepot’ was recorded by Gervase Markham in his book ‘The English Huswife’.(1) Clearly, rice pudding was a requisite for any good housewife of the day!

His recipe was surprisingly rich, with a generous amount of cream, six egg yolks, plenty of sugar and spices and even a little rose water, which was a popular flavouring of the time.

It’s unlikely, though, that rice pudding is an English invention.

Rice arrived in Europe via Spain’s trade routes with Asia in about the 10th century. By the 15th century, it was widely cultivated in Spain and had migrated upwards to Italy.(1)

Britain began to import its rice from these regions, particularly a short-grained, starchy variety called ‘arborio’. You might be familiar with it as the favoured choice for making risotto.

However, it was also used to make desserts like rice pudding thanks to its ability to produce a creamy sauce when added to liquid.

 

Rice pudding around the world

It seems that wherever rice went, a recipe for rice pudding soon followed. In fact, recipes for rice pudding come from all over the world, with variations depending on their origin.

The Spanish Arroz con leche is made with cinnamon and lemon zest, while the German version (Milchreis) is served with apple sauce. Norwegain Risengrynsgrøt is served with butter and cinnamon and eaten on the 23rd December in a celebration known as ‘Lillejulaften’, or ‘Little Christmas Eve’.

In China, ba bao fan is a rice pudding made with red bean paste and eight types of fruits and nuts which is traditionally eaten at Chinese New Year.

Firni, which is popular in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, contains cardamom and pistachio and is reduced right down to a thick paste before eating cold,

Another Iranian version is Sholezard which is often eaten on special occasions and features saffron and rose water as flavourings.(2)

Our rice pudding recipe

With so many varieties to choose from, we were lucky to have plenty of inspiration available when creating our very own rice pudding recipe.

Taking a leaf out of Gervase Markham’s book, we’ve gone for Arborio rice. Pudding rice, which acts in a similar way, is also a good option. Some cultures use short-grain or even basmati rice, but we prefer the nostalgic, creamy texture that arborio gives.

Next, the milk. Although it’s tempting to go for a half-fat coconut milk, resist. The fat in the milk adds a lot to the final texture of the pudding, transforming it from creamy to silky. It’s worth it.

For our flavourings, we’ve taken inspiration from the Middle East and chosen saffron, cardamom and cinnamon. Saffron lends a lovely floral flavour and cheerful colour, while cardamom provides an aromatic bass note. Cinnamon is simply a match made in heaven for warm milk puddings.

 

 

Erbology Pitted Prunes

The British like to top their rice pudding with jam and a grating of nutmeg, while the French go for chopped almonds and the Finnish choose a prune kissel, or compote.

Lacking the patience to make our own compote, and disinclined to add lots of refined sugar to our recipe in doing so, we’ve gone for dried fruit.

Erbology Pitted Prunes are the perfect choice here. They’re deeply flavourful; sweet, but with a pleasant sharpness which cuts through the richness of the pudding.

Not to mention all the prune health benefits you will be conferring upon your rice pudding. Prunes are not only good for digestion but are also linked to good bone health, among other benefits.

A sprinkle of ground cinnamon finishes the pudding nicely. It ensures that those lucky enough to get a portion will be rewarded with a comforting scent even before they dig in.

This is pure soul food, done the healthy way.

Ingredients

  • ⅛ tsp saffron threads
  • ½ cup Arborio rice
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ½ cup full fat coconut milk
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • ¼ whole vanilla bean
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 2 tbsp agave nectar
  • 4-6 Erbology Organic Pitted Prunes
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon to garnish

Typical nutrition / serving

  • Size: 275 g
  • Serv. size: 14 g

Here's how you make it

  1. In a small cup, combine the saffron threads with 3 tablespoons of hot water and stir. Set aside to infuse.
  2. Combine the rice, salt and 2 cups of water in a saucepan on a medium to high heat. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
  3. Reduce the heat to low. Strain the saffron-infused water, discarding the saffron threads, and add to the rice mixture. Then, add the rest of the ingredients, except for the pitted prunes.
  4. Simmer, partially covered, for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  5. Spoon into serving cups and garnish with sliced pitted prunes and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
  6. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!
instagram

If you tried this recipe...

Share your experience with us. Leave a comment below or post a picture on Instagram, tag @erbologyofficial #erbology and get a chance to win a healthy treat from us.

More recipes

  • image17 May 2024

    Raw carrot cake bites

    These no-bake carrot cake bites are so tasty, you almost won’t believe that they’re good for you! Featuring a wholesome chewy base topped with a creamy cashew layer, they make an ideal snack at any time of day. And we’ve added both sea buckthorn and camu camu powder to give our carrot cake bites a unique citrus twist. Of course, these functional foods bring plenty of extra nutritional benefits to the dish too.
  • image1 May 2023

    Vegan pumpkin pie recipe

  • image1 May 2023

    Sea buckthorn cake recipe