Rice pudding with roasted cardamom spiced plums

Riisipuuro ja kardemummalla maustetut paahdetut luumut

I have taken a short holiday from instagram and my blog, but now I am back, refreshed and eager to share some of the recipes I have been testing.  First up a quick delicious dessert or brunch dish using seasonal plums.  I never used to like rice pudding, but the older I have got and the more times I have it as part of a Finnish Christmas, the more I have grown to love it.  The best thing is just how simple it is to make.  I prefer my rice pudding cold, so I make it in advance and then all I need to do is throw the plums in a dish and roast for twenty minutes or so.  It is best to leave the plums to stand for five minutes, then they will release even more of their delicious, fruity, sweet juices.

Rice porridge with roasted cardamom spiced plums (serves 2-4 depending on portion size)

1dl/ 100 ml water

1 dl/ 100 ml pudding rice

5dl/ 500 ml plant based milk (I used a combination of hemp and coconut milk)

6 plums, stoned and halved

2 or 3 cardamom pods

coconut sugar

Add the water to a medium size heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to the boil.  Add the pudding rice and stir continuously until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.  Add the plant milk and allow to cook slowly, lid on, for around 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender.  Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking/ burning.

Meanwhile prepare the plums.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c. and place the plum halves in a shallow oven proof dish.  Crush the cardamom pods and extract the seeds.  Grind the seeds in a pestle and mortar and sprinkle over the plums (alternatively you can use 1/2 tsp of shop bought ground cardamom, but I prefer the fresher flavour you get from grinding your own).  Finally sprinkle the plums with a little coconut sugar and roast in the oven for around 20 mins until soft, but retaining their shape.

Serve the rice pudding hot or cold with some of the plums and a drizzle of the plum roasting juices.