Rice puddings with a caramel base and spiced apricot and apple compote

This is a great and good-looking alternative to a rice pudding. This recipe is easy to prepare, but it will seem as if you spend hours in the kitchen.

Serves: 4
Difficulty: easy
Prep time: 5 - 10 minutes
Cooking time: 120 minutes

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Ingredients

Cake

375 ml (1 ½ cups) milk
250 ml (1 cup) cream
2/3 cup Spekko Saman White Rice
125 ml (½ cup) dark brown sugar
8 strips lemon peel, removed with vegetable peeler
1/3 tsp ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 egg whites
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Caramel

1/3 cup brown sugar
30 ml (2 tbsp) water

Compote

150 g castor sugar
200 ml water
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods, crushed
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 X 410 g cans apricot halves in syrup, drained (or peaches)
1 X 410 g can sliced pie apples, drained

Method

For the rice cake: in a large pot bring milk and cream, rice, brown sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and salt to a simmer over medium heat stirring frequently. Reduce heat to a bare simmer, stirring frequently for 15 – 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Discard the zest. Whisk the 3 eggs and vanilla together and add to the rice mixture.
Butter 4 x 6 cm individual cake tins, or 1 medium sized cake tin.
Make the caramel by heating the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat and bring mixture to the boil, brushing sides with wet pastry brush to avoid sugar crystals. Boil without stirring until sugar forms a dark caramel. Pour caramel into the prepared cake tins. Let stand until cool and hardened.
Pre-heat oven to 180º C and position rack in the middle.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold in the rice pudding mixture. Pour mixture over caramel. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until top begins to brown but centre is still slightly wobbly. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Run a knife around the edge of the cake tins. Invert the cakes onto individual plates. Tap on the tins and carefully remove. Serve with the compote and custard.
For the compote: combine sugar, water, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, vanilla bean, lemon zest and juice in a large saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, then slowly bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, strain, then pour hot syrup over the apricots and apples. Serve warm over rice cake with vanilla custard or cream.

From the Spekko kitchen

Canned sliced peaches or other fruit can be used with the pie apples.
Bake the cake in 1 round 24 cm cake tin instead.
A compote is fruit stewed in sugar and a little water.