Baked makrut lime & coconut rice pudding

To make this aromatic pudding extra special, you can ‘brûlée’ the top, just like the coconut and pandan version right here.

Baked makrut lime & coconut rice pudding Credit: Chris Middleton

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  1:30 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 65 g (2¼ oz/¹⁄³ cup) medium-grain rice
• 4 makrut lime leaves, bruised, plus extra, finely shredded to serve
• 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into sections, split and bruised
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 1 tbsp rice malt syrup (optional)
• 600 ml (20½ fl oz) full cream (whole) milk
• 400 ml (13½ fl oz) tin coconut milk
• ½ tsp liquid stevia (optional)
• lime segments, to serve

Infusing time 20 minutes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F (fan-forced).

2. Combine the rice, bruised lime leaves, lemongrass, vanilla bean and seeds, rice malt syrup (if using) and the milks in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes or until the mixture just comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes for the flavours to infuse.

3. Remove and discard the lime leaves, lemongrass and the vanilla bean. Pour the mixture into a 1 litre (34 fl oz) oven-proof dish (or four 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) capacity ramekins). Bake, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour 15 minutes – 1 hour 30 minutes for the large dish, and 1 hour – 1 hour 10 minutes for the ramekins, or until the rice is tender and the mixture is very creamy.

4. When the skin begins to form, try to stir underneath the skin if you can. Stir less frequently towards the end of the cooking time. Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes to rest before serving. Sprinkle with shredded lime leaves and segments. The pudding may also be served cold.

Recipe and image from Incredible Bakes That Just Happen to be Refined-Sugar Free by Caroline Griffiths (Smith Street Books, $39.99 hbk).

View more refined sugar-free recipes from Incredible Bakes here.

View our Readable feasts review and more recipes from the book here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.