August 9, 2011: Rice Pudding Day
Food of the Day for a Year Goal
Day #34
Despite the fact that rice pudding didn’t excite me, I decided to go all out and try my best to make a Rice Pudding I would be proud to show off, share and dine on!
I decided to make a Rice Pudding with Caramel Gala Apples. I chose this pudding because I felt the slight spiciness of Gala apples and the decadence of homemade caramel sauce would pair nicely with a creamy and not-too-sweet vanilla rice pudding. I spent a lot of time pondering whether I should make it with Gala apples or Fuji apples but decided to go with the simpler Gala apple.
There were a lot of ingredients (22!) listed in the recipe, but of course, I already had the Arborio rice in my well-stocked pantry. I did have to go to four different stores to find the Gala apples that offered just the right firmness. Finally, I found them about 20 miles from home, but they were worth the drive.
Back home again, I carefully read all the directions four times and then laid all the ingredients out on my counter in the order I planned to use them. The recipe called for four different sized mixing bowls, which I carefully put in each section of the kitchen where the ingredients were that would be transferred into them. I like to save myself unnecessary steps in the kitchen.
First, I followed these directions exactly, carefully measuring the ingredients every step of the way.
Bring 3 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boil in heavy large saucepan. Add rice and boil 10 minutes. Drain rice; discard cooking water. Rinse saucepan. Combine milk and sugar in same saucepan; bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rice; reduce heat to medium and simmer until rice is very tender, most of milk is absorbed, and pudding is thickened but still creamy and reduced to scant 3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Transfer rice pudding to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pudding; let pudding cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold
While the pudding was cooling, I immediately went to work on the Carmel Apples.
Peel apples; quarter through stem end and remove core. Cut each apple quarter into 4 slices, then cut slices crosswise into thirds. Combine sugar and lemon juice in medium nonstick skillet. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and syrup is medium amber color, occasionally swirling skillet, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; add butter to skillet and swirl until melted (mixture may bubble vigorously). Return skillet to medium heat; add cider and pinch of salt and bring to boil. Add apples and simmer until tender, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream and boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Transfer apples with caramel sauce to heatproof bowl. Cool caramel apples until lukewarm or room temperature.
Once I had tested both the pudding and the Carmel Apples for the appropriate temperature using my handy cooking thermometer — I just could not survive without my handy cooking thermometer — and determined that the mixtures were the appropriate temperature, I prepared the pudding to be served.
I divided half the caramel apples among six martini glasses and filled each with rice pudding, dividing equally. Then I topped them with the remaining caramel apple and garnished each with a dollop of whipped cream.
Making this Rice Pudding with Caramel Gala Apples was worth every bit of the full day’s effort I put into it! I wish I had lots of pictures to share, but I was just so busy measuring ingredients that I didn’t have time to take any pictures. However, my pudding looked exactly like this one.
Except it was served in a martini glasses and had a more generous dollop of whipped cream on top! Sooo good!
Emily did get a picture of her rice pudding; she even put a candle in it to help celebrate our Facebook friend’s birthday! Emily said, her youngest child enjoyed two bowls of rice pudding.
Our Odd friend Nancy Leahy made Coconut Rice Pudding!
I will be back tomorrow to muse about S’mores — I am thinking of making my own marshmallows . . .
♥
Kb
Wow you really out did yourself! That looks amazing. Emily and Nancy did a great job too!
Yes they really did. We are kitchen goddesses!
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Amazing! You made it a labor of love 🙂
Truly!
Bravo Katybeth! Your recipie sounds delicious and I will make it very soon for my family. It’s funny I realized I did not have a proper serving dish so I am off to Antique shops and auctions to find something special.
Presentation is everything!
Hold on hold on… I talked with you on rice pudding day… And I don’t remember any of these preparations being made!!! I know Cole has left the building, have you transformed into your hidden domestic diva while he is away? Or doth the lady boast too much??
The lady doth not know what thy means….
♥
I like rice pudding and I think that you deserve a Culinary Medal for the amount of effort that you put into making yours. I wish that we lived closer….
I do too..because well you know I would have shared!
Thank you!
You drove to 4 stores, twenty extra miles and dirtied 4 pans all for rice pudding? I wish I could agree with Emily’s “labor of love” scenario, but all I can think about is there’s got to be an instant out there somewhere. I am in awe of your domestic tenacity! I would love to lay on your couch whilst you hammered away in the kitchen. Hey, have I told you I watched Martha Stewart make homemade marshmallows on her show? FABULOUS. <3
I will have to look that episode of Martha Stewart up!
Thank you for your kind words but it was nothing really.
Wow, I’m very impressed, that’s one delicious looking rice pudding and you know it’s not normally numero uno in my dessert list. Actually I would try yours, Emily’s and Nancy’s too. Kudos to you ladies for the effort you put into preparing such lovely meals.
Thank you. I knew there was a reason you were my favorite Aussie!! 😀
Kb, you know that I love and appreciate all of the effort that you put into each and every food of the day. I love that you research it, that you put a lot of time and effort into celebrating it, and I love the posts that you create and share about your experience.
Now I don’t mean to start trouble but I am thinking I am going to have to call BS on this one. I find it hard to believe that you had to drive 20 miles to find gala apples; that you spent the better portion of the day in the kitchen without Cole holding a gun to your head; that you prepared six portions of rice pudding without taking a picture of at least one of them.
I am going on record as being a non-believer. I need proof. A witness, either human or canine. I’ll even take someone you were speaking to on the phone, asking the inevitable question of exactly what is room temperature. Is it your room or my room? This is not something one needs a handy dandy cooking thermometer for.
With nothing but love, respect and a healthy dose of skepticism, your cousin Carla
20 miles for FIRM Gala apples…nothing is to fine for my pudding.
You know what you always say–I can not just cook for a few people…it was that way with my pudding!!Before I knew it I had 6 and was so exhausted my finger would just not click the camera button.
I sent you a text about that whole room temp thing!! It was so confusing and you are sooo right…there are just some questions a gadget can’t answer..you need a real person.
The proof Cousin Carla? Is of-course in the pudding! 😀
This is NOT the real rice pudding! My mother made the real deal and she baked it in the oven for an hour or so. It had eggs in it and some cinnamon, and whatever. Like I said, I do not care for rice pudding, but yours sure is a different version and I just might like to taste that. Maybe that would change my mind about liking it. Carry on.
8)
Not the REAL rice pudding?? Well of-course not compared to your mom’s!!!You know I would share some with you if..I could!
Cousin! ‘Fess up! You did not make that pudding. Sharing blood from the great god of hyperbole as we do I know a tall tale when I read it. Great story though.
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You Little fibber!