What do kids today think about rice pudding? Real rice pudding. The kind made by mothers and grandmothers. The kind you can stand a spoon up in. Do kids today even understand what rice pudding has meant to a waning generation of children who were raised on pudding that did not come in a plastic cup or a cardboard box?
I make that statement with a certain air of nostalgia, though I admit the nostalgia is not my own. I was one of those kids that grew up on pudding that came in a box. A box with the bright red (all caps) JELL‑O logo. The pudding of my youth came in two colors: Brown and Yellow (I hesitate to even call them flavors, but technically they were chocolate and vanilla).
In my very young years these pudding boxes were prepared with milk heated on the stove. As a young cook my mom made JELL‑O pudding as a treat. By the time the 1970s were in full swing my mom had discovered Julia Child. JELL‑O pudding was banned in our house. However, my love of the stuff was already deeply ingrained. There was nothing my mother and Julia could do to dampen my desire for JELL‑O pudding.
This is also about the same time that JELL‑O introduced its instant varieties. Meaning even a shy boy could “cook” pudding all on his own. Just add milk, stir and chill. I was so enamored of the instant variety that I would often spend my allowance on the stuff. Though in hindsight I realize my fascination with pudding wasn’t because I loved the taste (I don’t remember it having any taste). Rather it was the joy I found in the “cooking” of the pudding (behind my mother’s back).
Even then I knew it was a forbidden thrill– a guilty pleasure. Little boys shouldn’t get thrilled by making pudding when nobody was looking. Little boys stole peeks at Playboy magazine and collected baseball cards with their allowances. The rules were clear– inedible pink bubblegum sticks for boys. Instant pudding and Easy-Bake Ovens for girls.
This bit of personal history is offered to highlight the fact that thick and creamy, melt in your mouth rice pudding is not something from my youth. Nope, the memory of that rice pudding is stolen from my partner Ken’s childhood. Because he had one of those grandmas who made rice pudding the old-fashioned way. Thick with rice and studded throughout with raisins. His grandmother’s rice pudding was just slightly sweet. It was made in one pot and plopped into bowls. Seconds (and thirds maybe) were not unheard of.
Rice Pudding
These days I know how much Ken loves rice pudding, and I’d love to make it for him. But he loves a certain style of rice pudding. A style that seems to be disappearing from our tables. Still, every once in a blue moon I try to make rice pudding for him. Old-fashioned rice pudding. Thick, creamy and sorta sweet (with raisins studded throughout). The kind of rice pudding you can stand a spoon up in. But once I get in the kitchen, that little boy’s adventurous love of cooking comes back to haunt me. Which means my rice pudding never comes out quite right for Ken. I just can’t help myself. I always tart in up in a way that seems foreign to the little boy in Ken who’s looking (again) for his grandma’s embrace. GREG
Cardamom Rice Pudding with Pistachios and Caramel
Print This Recipe Yield 8Source Adapted from Le Cordon BleuPublishedThis can be made in one large serving vessel or divided into individual servings before topping with caramel.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup heavy cream (divided)
- ¼ cup Aborio rice
- kosher salt (as needed)
- 3/4 cup whole milk (divided)
- ½ vanilla bean (split lengthwise)
- 10 cardamom pods (lighly crushed)
- 1 cup (plus 2 tablespoon) granulated sugar
- 2 sheets gelatin (about 4 grams, soaked in cold water until softened)
- ½ cup water (divided, plus more for rice)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- pistachios (finely chopped, as needed for garnish)
Directions
Make the rice pudding: Using a whisk and a well-chilled bowl whip ½ cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.
Combine rice, salt and enough water to cover the rice by about ½‑inch in a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Bring just to a boil, then strain the rice in a fine-mesh sieve. Return the rice to the same saucepan, add milk, vanilla bean, cardamom pods, 2 tablespoons sugar, and another ½ cup heavy cream. Set the mixture over low heat and cook until rice is al dente and the liquid is reduced by half, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat, add the gelatin sheets and set aside to cool completely. Push the mixture through a fine meshed sieve into a medium bowl to remove the cardamom pods and vanilla bean, then gently fold in the chilled whipped cream. Divide the pudding between 8 individual serving vessels. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator. The rice pudding can be made to this point up to 24 hours in advance before assembly.
Make the caramel sauce: Combine the remaining 1 cup sugar and ¼ cup of the water in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. Raise the heat to medium and cook without stirring until the syrup turns a rich caramel color. Remove the pan from the heat add the remaining ¼ cup water, 3/4 cup cream and sea salt. It may splatter so please be careful. Transfer to a small pitcher and set aside to cool completely.
To serve: Bring the pudding from the refrigerator. Gently pour enough caramel sauce to cover the surface (or to taste). Garnish with pistachios.
Looks great. Thanks for the recipe.
The very best rice pudding I’ve ever had was at Guy Savoy in Paris (I know, I’m a spoiled little boy), but with the cardamom and caramel in yours it might even top his!
Neither my mom nor my grandmother made rice pudding. In fact, I’d never had it until I went to college in New Haven. Naples Pizzeria on Wall Street (now gone) made great pizza but also killer rice pudding and cinnamon toast. I never figured out how those two things went with pizza, but it didn’t matter. I ate their rice pudding at least twice a week for four years. I guess rice pudding is the stuff of memories in one way or another!
Nostalgic post, not that I have had any rice pudding in my childhood. It’s just that this post made me think of Bill Cosby and his Jello commercials back in the day. Exceptional pictures as always!
You triggered a lot of childhood memories for me, with this post. My mother always had Jello Pudding boxes, so we could make our own cooked pudding. I never bonded with the instant pudding. As for rice pudding, I adore it. My husband does not (sigh). I love our creativity with this one, and I’d bet my husband would change his mind. As for pre-fab pudding or rice pudding– a spoonful of that stuff shall never pass through my lips. This looks like THE recipe for me!
Ken is a lucky man. I want someone to make this for me. It’s doesn’t get much better than old fashioned, delicious, cozy and comforting. Perfect.
I come from a long line of “real” (rice included) pudding makers and love a very unsweet version myself. And I really like the idea of topping with caramel sauce — not for me, but to make my barely sweet rice pudding palatable to guests with a taste for sweeter desserts. Had the in-laws over for dinner years ago and made rice pudding for dessert because I knew they loved rice pudding. However, I had to pass the sugar bowl and pitcher of cream so they could bring it up to their sweetness level! The caramel sauce would have been perfect.
I felt a bit nostalgic while reading this post. My mom used to make rice pudding like this too. It’s gorgeous.
This looks good. And I love the combination of vanilla, cardamom and caramel. When I was young, I remember ordering rice pudding each time I would go out to a diner (in NJ). It wasn’t really that good, but it was tradition. My mind was blown when I had my first bite of delicious homemade rice pudding. Such a contrast!
My heart skips beats for pudding like this! So loving it!
I never eat that think — i never thought about rice pudding. Thanks for recipe!
Rice pudding was not a part of my childhood either! Making it up and tarting it out like the floozy it is has been on my to-cook list. Adding pistachios sounds great. Is it terribly forward for me to say I like the looks of your nuts?
Wish I could taste this! Well, I guess I could if I’d make it, huh? And I would, but the only rice pudding I make is my grandmother’s Portuguese Rice Pudding. Can’t beat a hug from Grandma (or in my case, Vo-Vo).
What a positively luxurious RIce Pudding, and your presentation in the jars is, although I hate the word, cute. And frankly because it is so perfectly executed, also elegant. You are producing a tremendous volume of wonderful pieces, a terrific body of work, one right after the next in pretty short order. Nice work!
This pudding looks yummmmmy.
History is fun, really fun and we get to know how you grow up. I remember when I came to America 20 yrs ago, my husband would would eat pudding from the plastic cups(..I know..yuckk). when I found cooking to be fun, I made it from scratch and he never walked that isle again. Nothing better home made..
I hear your pudding pain. I grew up eating it traditionally served with a dollop of prunes in the middle…so tasty simmered with love over the stove.
Oh my lord Greg you make me adore you more and more.
I LOVE real rice pudding, I will never understand why Kozy Shack is so popular. My husband and girls all consider rice it’s own food group but do not like rice pudding. If this doesn’t convince them I might need to give them away.
This is MY kind of rice pudding too, and if you made it for me I’d be bouncing off the walls with happiness. Lucky Ken!! Gorgeous recipe and photos, as always, Greg. This looks like the rice pudding my Grandma used to make 🙂
Love your recipe, photos and, of course, rice pudding. Charming presentation…