Baked rice pudding with salted caramel & blueberries
Fancy a bowl of baked rice pudding with salted caramel and blueberries? There’s something incredibly comforting about a warm, creamy bowl of baked rice pudding, and when you add salted caramel and blueberries into the mix—well, it’s basically dessert heaven! This Salted Caramel Baked Rice Pudding is one of those desserts that sounds fancy but is surprisingly easy to whip up. You don’t need any complicated techniques or gadgets, just a skillet, a handful of ingredients, and some patience while your kitchen fills with the irresistible scent of caramel and vanilla.
Baked rice pudding with salted caramel & blueberries
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup 150g arborio rice
- 1/2 cup 110g caster sugar plus 2 tbs extra
- 2 cups 500ml pure thin cream, plus extra to drizzle
- 2 cups 500ml full cream milk
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 egg yolks
- Handful of blueberries
- Toasted pecans or other nuts to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven 150°C fan (170°C conventional).
- Place the sugar in a medium ovenproof frypan or skillet and heat slowly over a medium heat.
- Once the edges start to caramelise, swirl around the pan and continue cooking, swirling often, until a dark caramel forms. Be careful to not let it burn.
- Remove from the heat and slowly add about one-third of the cream. Once mixed through gradually stir in the remaining cream.
- Return to the heat and add the milk, 1 tsp of salt, the vanilla bean paste and the arborio rice.
- Bring everything to a simmer then reduce heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.
- Add the egg yolks and stir before transferring the pan to the oven.
- Cook for 20 minutes then stir.
- Add the blueberries and scatter with the extra 2 tbs sugar and continue to cook for another 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes.
- Drizzle with extra cream and scatter with toasted nuts, to serve.
Notes
-
- Protein: 6g
- Carbohydrate: 40g
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated fat: 15g
- Fibre: 1g
- Salt: 1.2g
Don’t be afraid of creating your own salted caramel – just follow the instructions and watch the sugar transform into a rich, golden sauce. Then you just simply stir in cream, milk, and rice, which all slowly simmers and thickens into the creamiest, dreamiest base. A quick bake in the oven does the rest of the work, leaving you with a pudding that’s rich, luscious, and just the right amount of indulgent.
It’s the kind of dessert that makes you feel like a pro, but trust me, if I can make it, anyone can make it! Top it off with a drizzle of extra cream and some toasted nuts for crunch, and you’ve got yourself a show-stopping, cozy treat that’ll impress anyone lucky enough to grab a spoonful.
Health benefits of Baked Rice Pudding with Salted Caramel
Baked Rice Pudding with Salted Caramel offers some nutritional benefits, though we do recognise it’s more of an indulgent dessert. But when you consider that it can boost your energy, is a good source of calcium, and the combination of sugar and fats stimulates the brain’s release of dopamine, which can improve mood and provide a comforting feeling, well, what’s not to like? And don’t forget those juicy blueberries are highly nutritious, packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, making them great for heart health, brain function, and overall wellness.
Of course whilst the pudding provides the health benefits listed above, it’s also high in sugar and saturated fat, so it should be enjoyed occasionally. You can always adjust the recipe by reducing sugar or using lighter dairy options to make it a bit healthier.
Cooking tips
Here are a few helpful cooking tips to make your Salted Caramel Baked Rice Pudding turn out perfectly:
- Be patient with the Caramel and always let the sugar melt very slowly. Swirl the pan, rather than stirring. This stops the sugar from crystallizing. And remember to keep a close eye on it as it can turn from golden to burnt very quickly.
- Use Arborio Rice for creaminess as it is starchy and will give a naturally creamy texture. If you don’t have arborio rice, don’t worry, you can always use short-grain rice as the next best option. We dont recommend long-grain rice, as it won’t give the same creaminess.
- To avoid scrambling the egg yolks, temper them. This simply means you should add a little of the warm milk mixture into the yolks while stirring constantly, before adding them to the pan. This will ensure you end up with a smooth custard-like consistency.
- If you like a stronger contrast of flavors, you can adjust the salt to your liking in the caramel. A little extra salt really brings out the sweetness, but be cautious not to overdo it. Try adding some Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink salt for an added touch of crunch.
- At the end of the cooking time the rice pudding should be thick but still creamy. If it looks too dry, stir in a bit of extra cream or milk at the end. And if it is still to runny, just bake it for another 5 minutes and check again.
- This pudding can be made ahead and reheated when needed. If it thickens too much upon cooling, stir in a splash of milk or cream while reheating to bring back the creamy consistency.
- Feel free to add spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, or star anise.
- Swap the blueberries for other berries, such as blackberries.
- Use the egg whites to make delicious meringues. Pop them into an airtight container at room temperature and they will keep for up to two weeks, as long as they are kept dry and away from humidity.
These tips will help ensure your pudding is rich, silky, and indulgent every time!
More ideas
Would you like to learn some more facts about salt? Then why not check out our articles in the Salt Facts section? And when you are ready to explore a bit more pop on over to our Salt Products and Salt Recipe sections. Or have a look at the articles in our Substitue section for some helpful swaps.