Rich, creamy, and studded with rum-soaked raisins, Rum Raisin Rice Pudding is the ultimate comfort food. My homemade version is incredibly easy to make and comes together in under an hour. Whole milk and heavy cream give the pudding its velvety texture, while vanilla bean and cinnamon add warmth to this classic dessert. Topped with scratch-made rum-plumped raisins, this dish is elegant enough for your next dinner party, yet simple enough for a cozy autumn night spent curled up on a comfy chair with a good book. Treat yourself, and your friends, and whip up this rice pudding today using your Farmer Owned ingredients.

Serves 3 – 4
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup of golden raisins
1/4 cup of rum
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
2 cups of whole milk
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/3 cup of uncooked, white rice (I used Jasmine)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 egg
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

Directions: 

Measure out all ingredients and bring them to room temperature.

Start by making the rum raisins. Place the raisins, rum, and granulated sugar in a sauce pot set over low heat. Stir to combine. Add enough water to just cover the raisins.

Cover the pot with a lid and cook the raisins for 5 – 8 minutes until they have plumped up slightly and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the raisins and their cooking liquid to cool completely. Set aside.

To make the rice pudding, add the milk, cream, salt, rice and vanilla to a sauce pot set over medium heat. If you are using a vanilla bean, add the pod and its seeds. Bring the mixture to a boil then turn the heat to low and partially cover the pot. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 – 25 minutes until the rice is tender.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and brown sugar. Ladle in a quarter cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk vigorously. Touch the eggs with your finger. If they are warm to the touch, you can transfer them to the pot with the milk and rice. If not, incorporate another quarter cup of the hot milk into the eggs before whisking the eggs into the remaining milk and rice mixture.

Cook the pudding over low heat, while stirring, for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened. Stir in the cinnamon.

The pudding can be served warm or placed in a heatproof bowl allowed to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge to cool completely.

When you are ready to serve, add a few spoonfuls of the raisins and their cooking liquid to each bowl and stir in.

Enjoy! The rice pudding will stay fresh for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.