Baked Rice Pudding -- Yummy!

   Janet Allen shared this recipe when I interviewed her for my February 25, 2014 cooking column (Home-Cooking—Dickinson County Style “Capturing the Present and Remembering the Past”© -- A Blending of Cultures) that appeared in the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle. Always a fan of rice pudding, I was glad to find one that omitted the usual condensed milk and that relied on everyday ingredients.

     In the article Janet said, “What inspires me is trying to come up with something different. I often take someone else’s recipe and experiment with it. And, I would certainly encourage others to do that with mine.” So I did! I substituted brown sugar for granulated, used dried cranberries in place of the raisins, and added about a half cup of chopped pecans. Yum, it was exactly what I think rice pudding should taste like!

Baked Rice Pudding     Makes one 11x7-inch dessert

Janet learned to make this as a child and has been preparing it ever since, but without a written recipe. In the process of putting in on paper, she asked her mom, Evelyn McNeil, for assistance.“I wrote down what she said and then tested it. She had it right down to the last detail. And, she even reminded me to mention that if you’re not using leftover rice, be sure to add salt and butter [for added flavor] to the rice as it cooks,”

3 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

½ cup granulated sugar (I substituted brown sugar)

1 ¾ teaspoons vanilla

1 ⅓ cups cooked white rice

½ cup raisins (I used dried cranberries)

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ cup chopped pecans (my addition)

1.  Beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla together.

2.  Add rice (dried cranberries and raisins (and chopped pecans).

3.  Pour into 11x7-inch baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon.

4.  Set filled baking dish into a slightly larger pan, then pour water into larger pan to depth of 1” to create a water bath*. 

5.  Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until set.  After 20 minutes stir slightly.

Janet's Variation: When making this at home, Janet often uses brown rice, fat-free milk and replaces the sugar with Splenda®. 

* Function of a Water Bath is to assure and maintain an even or stable temperature.

Recipe without photos . . .

Baked Rice Pudding     Makes one 11x7-inch dessert

3 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

½ cup granulated sugar (I substituted brown sugar)

1 ¾ teaspoons vanilla

1 ⅓ cups cooked white rice

½ cup raisins (I used dried cranberries)

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ cup chopped pecans (my addition)

1.  Beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla together.

2.  Add rice (dried cranberries and raisins (and chopped pecans).

3.  Pour into 11x7-inch baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon.

4.  Set filled baking dish into a slightly larger pan, then pour water into larger pan to depth of 1” to create a water bath*. 

5.  Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until set.  After 20 minutes stir slightly.

Janet's Variation: When making this at home, Janet often uses brown rice, fat-free milk and replaces the sugar with Splenda®. 

* Function of a Water Bath is to assure and maintain an even or stable temperature