Rice Pudding Recipes

Rice pudding is a classic dessert used in traditional American cooking. The original recipe is quite simple; all it requires is combining rice with milk, sugar, cream, vanilla, and eggs to create a sweet, mild dessert. Many cooks enjoy creating variations with different spices or by adding dried fruits. This results in an array of delicious and flavorful rice puddings with a modern twist.

History

Like many other well-loved foods, rice pudding has a long history. Most food historians believe it originated in the Middle East as a kind of porridge made from several different types of grains. Chinese and Indian cooks developed the dish with the plentiful rice they enjoyed in their countries. It is also found in many medieval cookery books. Like many other puddings and soft foods, rice pudding recipes have often been used in the sickroom and to sustain invalids. The Romans only used it as a medicine, but by Shakespeare's time it was a popular dessert.

Rice Pudding Variations

You can vary rice puddings to make them your own by manipulating different ingredients.

• Change the type of rice you use to create puddings with different textures
• Switch vanilla with other flavored extracts or liqueurs
• Add spices like cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger
• Eliminate sugar, add herbs, and make a savory rice pudding
• Stir in chopped nuts or dried fruits
• Add aromatic waters such as rose or orange water
• Adjust amounts of dairy or eggs to create a more custard-like pudding
• Add citrus zest to create an orange, lime or lemon rice pudding
• Lighten it up by adding low fat dairy and reducing sugar

Be Creative!

With a little creativity, you'll be able to create a unique and delicious dessert. Don't be afraid to modify recipes to suit your taste.