Coconut Rice Pudding with Griddled Plums

So, this totally happened. My obsession with all things coconut continues.

I have to say that my obsession mainly revolves around coconut oil and coconut milk. There were the cookie dough sandwiches, the flapjacks and the shortbread, not to mention the countless times I make Thai and Indian curries with creamy coconut milk. But you rarely see me using desiccated or fresh coconut in recipes. I think that’s partly because when I was younger I used to detest coconut, particularly the texture of desiccated coconut in my mouth. As with many things in life, I grew up and learned to love coconut for the delicious and healthy goodness that it is.

And now these days you’ll find me slurping down a big bowl of coconut rice pudding. How times have changed.

When I was growing up, we would go and see my grandparents once a month and nearly every visit my Grandma would make rice pudding for dessert. I say make, it was usually of the canned variety, but we would top it with a big dollop of fruit jam and it tasted so delicious. We won’t go into the time she almost blew up the microwave by heating said rice pudding in a metal bowl…

So nice rice pudding has a place of nostalgia in my heart. It reminds me of growing up, of creamy deliciousness on cold days. And I seriously hadn’t eaten or craved it for years. Until the other day. I thought about it and then absolutely had to have some, despite it being slightly too hot to be making (let alone eating) a hot dessert.

But instead of topping it with a dollop of jam, I griddled some fresh plums to sit on top. They give it a delicious natural sweetness and just look so pretty. You could definitely use this method with other fruits such as peaches or cherries.

I made this version with coconut rice milk, although plain coconut milk will be just as good (if not better!), which makes it not only delicious but also vegan, helping to keep me in line with my current goal of trying to eat a mainly vegetarian/vegan diet. But this dessert is rich and creamy, you’d never know there wasn’t dairy milk in it. Try it for yourself, I’m sure you’ll agree! 

Coconut Rice Pudding with Griddled Plums

Recipe by Julia

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (100g) pudding rice (or short grain rice)

• 1/4 cup (50g) soft brown sugar

• 500ml coconut milk

• Pinch cinnamon

• 4 plums

Directions

• Preheat oven to 150C / 300F and grease the bottom of a round baking dish.
• Rinse the rice in a colander and drain well.
• Pour the rice, sugar and milk into the baking dish and give a quick stir to combine. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top and place in the oven to bake for around 2 hours, or until the pudding has set around the edges but still wobbles in the middle.
• Around 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, cut the plums in half (discarding the stones), and lay flat side down on a hot griddle pan over the stove. Turn occasionally, until the plums become soft and almost caramelised. Remove from the pan and then serve one plum on top of each bowl of the cooked rice pudding.