There are a lot of ways to make rice pudding. But this is the one we all grew to expect on Christmas Eve. It’s chock full of almonds, and spiced with a bit of sherry. But for the big finale, it’s combined with a whopping CUP of whipping cream. We also typically serve it with raspberry sauce (recipe below).
As written, this recipe “serves 6” – and that’s 6 very generous servings. But we always make a quadruple recipe, because that’s how much it takes to fill Mom’s silver bowl. 😉
1/4 c. rice
2 c. milk
2 T Knox gelatin, softened in 1/4 c cold water (1 envelope is a little less than a T)
1/2 t vanilla
3 T sherry
1/2 c sugar
1 c. whipping cream, whipped
1/2 c. slivered almonds (not chopped or sliced – they make a funny texture in the pudding)
For the Raspberry Sauce:
1 pint raspberries
1/4 c white sugar (more or less to taste)
Cook the rice and milk over low heat until rice is tender, 20 – 30 minutes. Make sure to use a saucepan – Laura and I figured out the hard way this past Christmas that using a wide pan allows too much moisture to evaporate.
Stir the softened gelatin into the hot rice mixture. Add vanilla, sherry, almonds and sugar. Cool. When the mixture begins to set, fold in the whipping cream. Serve with raspberry sauce.
Alternate method #1: If you wait too long as the rice mixture is cooling and it sets all the way, you can always beat it with a blender and then fold in the whipped cream. But it’s best of the rice mixture isn’t refrigerated.
Alternate method #2: If you want to get it made the day ahead, cook the rice and add the vanilla, sherry, almonds and sugar – but not the gelatin. Allow the mixture to cool. Then the day of serving, soften the gelatin in boiling water, and pour it into the sugar and rice mixture. It will gel quickly – like 20 or 30 minutes – so you can even do it as you’re putting dinner on the table.
Raspberry sauce: Combine fresh or frozen raspberries and sugar in a small saute pan. Simmer until sugar is incorporated.