If you need a simple dessert that feeds a large group then this Cranberry Pomegranate Rice Pudding fits the bill. It's so easy to put together and the tart cranberries are offset by the sweet but delicate maple syrup and coconut milk mixture.
This recipe is sponsored by USA Rice Canada. For more great rice recipe ideas visit Riceinfo.com.
When winter hits it's always nice to have some comfort food recipes up your sleeve - especially a few desserts that can also double as breakfast or even brunch. Our easy Cranberry Pomegranate Rice Pudding fits the bill!
First of all - it's so simple. You only need a few ingredients and, while we made this version a winter seasonal one with cranberries, pomegranates and pistachio nuts, you can use blueberries, raspberries, mangoes, peaches, strawberries... even dried fruit like raisins or dried cranberries would work. You can sub in pecans or almonds for the nuts or remove the nuts entirely
Second, it has very little added sugar - just a 1/4 cup - so you could also serve this as a breakfast or brunch dish. Our recipe calls for an additional 2 tablespoons of maple syrup because fresh cranberries can be quite tart and it also adds a nice hint of maple flavour.
And last but not least, this is a great way to use up leftover rice - white or brown! And if leftover rice is never a problem in your house you can easily make additional rice the next time you're cooking up some for dinner.
Minimizing Food Waste with Rice
Food waste in home kitchens is something more and more of us are paying attention to and if there's one item that should never go to waste in your kitchen, it's leftover rice!
Rice can easily be reheated on the stove or in the microwave - all you need to do is add 2 tablespoons of water for every cup of rice you're reheating. You can also freeze cooked rice and reheat it for use later. Toss it into wraps, salads, soups or use it as a base for a rice bowl. You can find more tips for storing and reheating rice here!
Some Tips For Making This Rice Pudding
Here's a few tips for making our Cranberry Pomegranate Rice Pudding recipe:
- the maple syrup is optional and only used for an extra touch of sweetness and some maple flavour
- pomegranate arils are simply the red, juicy seeds inside a pomegranate
- if you need help getting the pomegranate arils out try one of these methods
- if you only have a 398ml can of coconut milk on hand you can top it up with a dairy or plant based milk of your choice
- frozen berries work better than fresh - although you can use either. Frozen hold their shape better when cooking
- don't be intimidated by the water bath - it's just water in a roasting pan. It's super easy - just be careful when removing it from the oven. The water will be scalding hot!
- 2½ cups of cooked white or brown rice
- 1 cup of frozen or fresh cranberries
- ½ cup of pomegranate arils
- ¼ cup of roughly chopped pistachios
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup of sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
- 2 cups of coconut milk (or 1 398ml can of coconut milk plus ⅓ cup of any other milk you have on hand to make up the difference)
- pinch of salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp cinnamon (plus additional for dusting)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- Preheat the oven to 400F
- Mix the rice, cranberries, pomegranate arils and pistachios in a large bowl and pour into a 9x9 baking dish
- In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, maple syrup, coconut milk, salt, vanilla and spices until smooth and then pour over the rice mixture in the baking dish
- Sprinkle a small dusting of cinnamon on top of the pudding
- Place baking dish in a water bath - a large roasting pan filled with 1 inch of hot water will work - and bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes - the pudding is done when it starts to bubble, cranberry juices start to run and the top starts to brown
- Serve warm on its own or with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream
You can connect with USA Rice Canada all over the web!
- Instagram and Twitter: @USARiceCan
- Facebook: USA Rice Canada
- Riceinfo.com for great recipe ideas, nutrition info and cooking and storage information.
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Hi, nice and tasty.
I will definitely try it