Rice pudding - Classic danish rice pudding
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Rice pudding

Rice pudding – Recipe for classic rice pudding served with cinnamon sugar and a dollop of butter. When December and Christmas are approaching, it’s time to cook rice pudding and enjoy it with a nisse beer or red lemonade. The classic rice pudding is familiar to every Danish home and most people eat rice pudding many times during the month of December.

Rice pudding is made with porridge rice or risotto rice, water, whole milk and salt and it is a very easy, cheap and cozy dish. It takes a while for the rice to cook, and the puddings needs to be stirred during the process, as it burns easily. The easiest thing to do is to set the timer so that you stir the pot every 5 minutes until the porridge has cooked for approx. 40-45 minutes.

The rice should be tender and the porridge should be wonderfully creamy. If you think the porridge is too thin, cook it longer; if you think it is too thick, add more milk.

Rice pudding: a comforting classic

Rice pudding, known as “risengrød” in Denmark, is a beloved traditional dish enjoyed by many, especially during the holiday season. This creamy, comforting dessert is made from rice cooked slowly with milk and sugar, resulting in a rich and velvety texture that warms the heart.

The preparation of Danish rice pudding typically involves using short-grain rice, which absorbs the milk beautifully and becomes tender as it cooks. The rice is simmered gently with a pinch of salt and often flavored with a hint of vanilla or cinnamon. As it cooks, the mixture thickens into a luscious pudding that is both satisfying and nostalgic.

In Denmark, rice pudding is often served warm, sometimes with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar on top, or accompanied by a sweet fruit sauce, such as raspberry or cherry. A delightful tradition during Christmas involves hiding a whole almond in the pudding; the person who finds the almond is said to have good luck for the coming year.

Rice pudding is not just a festive treat; it is also a comforting dish enjoyed throughout the year. Its simplicity and versatility make it a favorite among families, often bringing back cherished memories of home-cooked meals. Whether enjoyed as a dessert or a cozy snack, Danish rice pudding is a timeless classic that embodies warmth, comfort, and tradition.

Rice pudding

Recipe for 4-6 persons
Prep 10 mins
Cook 45 mins
Total 1 hr

Ingredients

Rice pudding
Extras

Instructions

Rice pudding

Boil the water in a large, thick-bottomed pot. Add the rice and let it boil for a few minutes. Then add 1.5 L of the milk and salt. Reduce the heat to medium. It takes a while for the rice to cook, and you need to stir the porridge as it burns easily. The easiest way is to set the timer so that you stir the pot every 5 minutes until the porridge has cooked for about 40-45 minutes.

The rice should be tender and the pudding should be wonderfully creamy. If you think the porridge is too thin, cook it longer, if you think it has become too thick, add more milk.

When serving, mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on the pudding. Put a pat of butter in the middle and serve the hot pudding immediately. Enjoy!

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Rice porridge made in a “hay box”

In this recipe, I have cooked the porridge, as usual, on a hotplate, but you can also do it with a hay box, so that you do not have to stir the pot all the time. When the rice is cooked well and the pot has become hot, I put it in a “hay box”: Bring the mixture to the boil and stir well in the pot so that the rice does not stick to the bottom. Turn down the heat and cook for approx. 15 min. on low heat. Now put the pot in a “hay box” for approx. 1 hour by placing a large towel on a bed and covering it with a layer of newspapers, place the pot in the middle and wrap newspapers and then the towel tightly around it, cover tightly with a duvet and let the pot stand and take care of itself. Remove the pot from the hay box (be careful – it is hot!) and check the porridge. If it is still a little thin, bring it to a boil while stirring, and let it boil a little more in.

Vegan rice pudding

Rice porridge can easily be made in a vegan version. The porridge rice is still the same, but replace the whole milk with e.g. coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk or rice milk. If you find that the porridge is not as creamy as if it is made with whole milk, you can add a little plant-based cream to the porridge in the last few minutes of cooking time.

See also my recipe for the best rice pudding right here and my recipe for vegan rice pudding right here with orange syrup.

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