Uncle Bens Classic Rice Pudding Recipes

CLASSIC RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Whisk together the egg, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Add the milk, cream, rice and salt to a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Stir frequently to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Slowly add about half a cup of the hot rice mixture to the egg mixture, whisking quickly, to temper the egg mixture.
• Add the egg mixture to the saucepan with the remaining rice mixture. Stir everything together and continue heating on low heat for about another 5-10 minutes, or until thickened. Don't boil. It will thicken quickly. Keep in mind that the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools, so you don't want it to be too thick before you take it off the heat. A touch soupy still is ok.
• Remove from heat and serve warm.

EXTRA CREAMY RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Rinse a large saucepan with cold water. Don't dry. Set on stove-top over medium heat. Add milk. Heat milk to boiling, over medium heat, stirring regularly. WATCH CLOSELY as it nears the boil! When milk hits the boil, it will boil up and possibly over. That's not a good thing.
• When milk boils, stir in rice and keep stirring until mixture returns to the boil. Reduce heat to a shade higher than low, or whatever level on your stove allows the mixture to gently simmer (bubble breaking the surface but not too vigorously). Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring down the mixture every 10 minutes (Important that you stir it down regularly and ensure that there is no rice sticking to the bottom of the pan. You will notice that the mixture has probably formed a skin on top. Don't remove it. Just stir it back in.)
• Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, use a fork to whisk together the cream, sugar, yolks, vanilla and salt. Set aside on counter while rice is cooking, leaving fork in bowl. Set out a ladle to use, as well. I like to do this after the rice starts cooking, so that the mixture comes to room temperature by the time it's needed.
• Once milk/rice has simmered for 30 minutes, continue simmering, but stir down every 5 minutes. With each stir, start testing the done-ness of the rice by tasting a piece. You want the rice to be tender (so no hard center). **Depending on the rice you used, your mixture may start to get thick-ish at this point, with little milky liquid left. If so, add more hot milk or water to the pot, just as much as needed to loosen the mixture up, with each stir. Watch closely and don't let the mixture get dry or it will scorch. Continue cooking, stirring down and adding additional milk, as needed until the rice is tender. Most rice is generally done at about 45-50 minutes of total simmering time. A lot will depend on how vigorously your mixture is boiling, so there is no hard and fast rule. Taste testing is the best indicator.
• Once the rice is cooked, slide the pot off the heat to avoid scorching. Re-whisk your egg mixture with your fork. Using the ladle, spoon out a ladle-full of hot rice/milk mixture, taking as much liquid as possible, but not to worry if you bring some of the rice with it. With the ladle in your left hand (assuming your right-handed, if not, reverse) and using your right hand to start whisking the egg mixture with the fork, start adding the hot mixture to the eggs A DROP AT A TIME, at first, while continuously whisking with the fork. Increase to a slow stream, while whisking continuously, until the entire ladle-full has been added. Get another ladle-full of hot liquid and slowly add it to the egg mixture as well, whisking continuously. Keep adding hot liquid until you've got at least 1 1/2 cups-1 3/4 cups of now warmed liquid in your bowl. Once you have reached that point, pour the warmed egg mixture into your cooking pot.
• Return the saucepan to heat, over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring almost continuously, just until a dime-sized bubble breaks the surface of the pudding. Pudding should be noticeably thickened and saucy, but still more sauce than rice (pudding will set more in the fridge as it cools). If liquid seems almost like milk consistency (rather than heavy cream consistency), it's too thin. Cook, stirring, a little longer. **Note though that you never want to allow the mixture to vigorously boil after the egg mixture has been added, as you may end up with scrambled eggs.
• If using raisins, add to the bottom of a medium-large bowl. When pudding is cooked, immediately pour hot mixture over raisins. Stir well to combine. Allow to stand on counter for about 5 minutes, to allow the steam to reduce, then cover bowl with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator. Allow to cool and set, at least 6 hours or preferably, over-night. Pudding will set as it cools. To serve, simply stir and spoon into bowls. Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired. If pudding is or becomes too thick, simply add a tablespoon or so of heavy cream to mixture and stir in. If you enjoy your rice pudding warmed, you can warm slightly in the microwave or a small saucepan.

CHEF JOHN'S CLASSIC RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Place rice, salt, and water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; sprinkle with sugar and pour in milk. Stir with a whisk until until the thin layer of cooked-on starch at the bottom of the pan is cleared and incorporated into the mixture, 2 or 3 minutes.
• Place pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it reaches your desired of level of doneness and creaminess, 8 to 10 minutes. The longer it cooks, the thicker and stickier it will be. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Very quickly whisk in the egg yolk (to prevent it from cooking). Whisk for about 1 more minute. Add butter and dried cherries; stir thoroughly.
• Transfer warm pudding to serving dishes. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, 3 to 4 hours.