Baked Rice Pudding

Some days just call for rice pudding and today’s drippy steel gray skies led me to adapt this yummy Milk Street recipe. This is pure comfort food and the fact that it cooks itself in the oven makes it a winner in my kitchen.  (4 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 T of maple syrup or honey, more or less to taste
• A pinch of sea salt
• ¼ t of cinnamon
• 1 ½ cups of whole fat coconut or almond milk (I like a mixture of the two)
• 2 cups of water
• ½ cup of organic arborio rice, quickly rinsed and drained
• Grated zest from one lemon
• 1 peeled and finely chopped apple
• 1/2 cup  of raisins 
• Vanilla powder or Vanilla extract

Directions

In a dutch oven, heat milk and water over medium heat, bringing to a gentle boil.  Stir in rice, maple syrup, sea salt, and cinnamon. Cover and place in a preheated oven for 50 minutes. Remove, uncover and add apple, raisins, and vanilla.  Cover and return to the oven , turning off heat.  After 10 minutes remove from the oven, uncover, stir well and allow to cool.  Pudding will thicken as it cools.

Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.