or should I just call it Brown Rice Pudding?
When I was a little one, I remember lulling myself to sleep by listing off in my brain all of the things that I might like to find in heaven should I find myself there. I started off with important things like:
I’d like to find my little sister Lauren in heaven, but I don’t want to have to share my toys with her if I don’t want to.
I’d like to find my best friend Natalie in heaven because I love to play with her hair.
I’d like to find Grandmother, Granddaddy and Aunt DeeDee in heaven because they make the best hamburgers every Friday night .
And then this list would surely devolve into something that resembles my Christmas wish list:
I want an Easy Bake Oven in heaven…
I want a Barbie Dream House in heaven.
I want mechanical pencils in heaven… I had a serious thing for mechanical pencils. Still do.
Nowadays I’m barely awake enough to get my socks off before I’m zonked out on my pillow. I’d like to put this down on record now, if you’ll indulge me.
I want Rice Pudding in heaven. Rice pudding with raisins. Rice pudding with dried cherries. White rice. Brown rice. Any kind of rice cooked with milk and sugar. Please.
A few mechanical pencils might be nice too.
Awesome. Thanks.
It’s hearty. It’s warm. It’s creamy and sweet. It’s filling and it might just be the most comforting bowl of goodness I’ve ever encountered.
Note: When served cold, the brown rice has a bit of a bite to it. I like it cold as much as I do warm, but be warned that cold brown rice pudding will be just a tad more work for your jaw.
Brown Rice Rice Pudding
serves 4 to 6
4 cups water
1 cup brown rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
4 cups whole milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 vanilla bean, split open (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of ground cardamom
1/2 cup dried sour cherries (or any dried fruit you fancy)
Rinse brown rice in a strainer under cold water for 30 seconds. Set aside.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in brown rice and salt. Turn flame down to medium and simmer rice, uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, drain rice and water. Let rice sit in strainer for 10 seconds and then return to the pot you cooked it in (not over a flame) and immediately put a tight fitting lid on the pot. Let rice rest and steam for 10 minutes.
Once rice is cooked, place it in a bowl and set aside. Add 4 cups of milk, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, pinch of cardamom and vanilla bean to the pan. Bring to a very low boil, stirring often so the milk doesn’t burn. Add the cooked rice, butter and cherries to the hot milk. Stir often. Don’t ignore the milk or it might boil to furiously and curdle. Simmer until the milk cooks down and the rice is creamy, about 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl or serving dishes to cool. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Terresa Wellborn
My mom makes this stuff all the time, except with white rice. She is pretty much anti-health food stuff, including brown rice. But I love her all the same (sigh). She tosses raisins into the mix. (gag)
Hope
I don’t know if I’ve ever had rice pudding but I love rice and I love all things sweet(and all of those ingredients listed)….hmmm I might be making some of that very soon! Thank you!
Heather
OMG…get out of my head! I just cracked open a tub o’ Kozy Shack was thinking it might be time to start making my own rice pudding. And I love brown rice…so nutty and yummy. Have you heard of Pudding on the Rice? It’s like a Baskin Robbins…OF RICE PUDDING. All kinds of different flavors. Amazing! Sorry, I just got waaay to excited about rice pudding. It’s been that kind of day! =)
joythebaker
Pudding on the Rice? Where is this magical place!? Want. Now.
Heather
Tigard, Oregon (it’s just south of Portland). Super Yum! =)
https://www.puddingontherice.com/
Jacqueline
I’ve been to this pudding palace in Bridgeport Village and all I can say is…it made me long for homemade rice pudding…gonna make it with brown rice manana!
Jessanna
Oh my gosh! Are you reading my mind or what!? JUST last night I was thinking to myself how I longed to make my own rice pudding- but had no clue where to start- and then I read this–THANK YOU *Hugs the computer* your wonderful!!
joythebaker
do it up!
Kirsten
Joy, I am so sorry you have lost your sister, best friend, Grandmother, Granddaddy and Aunt DeeDee.
I hope you find solace in knowing they are in a better place. I am certain that when you pass, heaven’s gates will be wide open for you too and there you should find all the happiness you could dream of. And if that includes rice pudding then I hope it also includes a spoon :)
joythebaker
ooh no wait! my sister and my best friend aren’t in heaven! it’s just that i would want them there if i were in heaven…. i’d want it to be a party! with rice pudding of course.
my sister is still kickin’! here’s proof:
https://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/10/laurens-peanut-butter-sandwich-cookies/
Monica
Yummy, and I want to know where you got those beautiful measuring bowls… I.WANT.
joythebaker
anthropologie!
Dani
My daughter’s favorite dessert after cupcakes is rice pudding. I’ll have to make this for her soon. I’ve never tried brown rice plus I’ve always added eggs, so this will be a whole new pudding. Can’t wait!
pity
lovely and delicious, very well done! cheers from london
PhillyGirl
God, how I wanted an Easy Bake oven for Christmas!!! That’s probably why I’m so obsessed with baking now.. all those nights dreaming of the wonderful cakes I would make in those tiny pans.. but, alas, my father said it was dangerous and squashed my dreams until I was old enough to start baking (and doctoring up) those cheap Jiffy brownie mixes (35 cents a box way back in the day)!!
Lauren
This rice pudding looks deeelicious! I’ve made brown rice pudding before with just so-so results, so I’m excited to try your recipe.
Maryam
One more thing… Joy, how would you make this with regular white rice? Any major changes?
Can’t wait to make it!
joythebaker
yes! regular white rice is a different beast.. here’s a kick ass recipe!
https://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/01/vanilla-bean-rice-pudding/
Maryam
Did anyone else notice the Freudian slip??
Note: When served cold, the brown rice has a bit of a bite to it. I like it cold as much as I do warm, but be warmed that cold brown rice pudding will be just a tad more work for your jaw.
I think what Joy is really trying to say is that this should only be enjoyed Warm(ed).
joythebaker
oops. hahahaa! thanks maryam!
Kate D
Darn it, Joy. You made me cry…thinking ’bout all your people up in heaven eating rice pudding made me think about all my people up there, too.
Erika from The Pastry Chef At Home
“Don’t ignore the milk or it might boil to furiously and curdle”
Ha! This makes me think of my grandmother who would always set a pot of milk to heat on the stove top, stalk it for a few minutes, get bored, walk away to do some light cleaning (or whatever)while she waited for it, then run back exasperated when she heard the sizzling sound of the milk boiling over the pot. She’s been doing this for years and its become a running joke in our family. She’s so cute… and so is your little bowl of rice pudding :)
joythebaker
aw! you totally made me smile with that story!
Kylie of Thin Crust Deep Dish
I wish I were at home with this on the stove and me about to eat it, instead of just sitting at work dreaming about how lovely and warm that bowl would be in my hands. Oh, how I love rice pudding. Especially with plumped up dried fruit. Oh, yum.