“This takes me right back to childhood around the dining room table when rice pudding was a treat, with a dollop of mum’s homemade strawberry jam spooned into the middle. I’d always swirl it around and make it into a pink mess, to my mum’s horror. Tasted great though!”

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the praline

1 tablespoon hazelnuts, peeled
2 tablespoons caster sugar

For the pudding

1 heaped tablespoon pudding rice
1 teaspoon butter
1/3 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out and pod retained
1 tablespoon caster sugar
300ml milk
2 tablespoons double cream
6 strawberries, two halved, the others left whole
4 mint leaves, shredded

METHOD

Heat the oven 180°C

Make praline by gently melting the sugar on a moderate heat until it becomes caramel, making sure it doesn’t burn. This shouldn’t take long. When golden brown, add the hazelnuts and combine whilst still on the heat. Then carefully pour from the pan onto an oiled surface or a non-stick silicon mat, and allow to cool for an hour or so. Once cool, blitz in a food processor to the texture of breadcrumbs. Set aside.

To make the rice pudding, place the rice, milk, sugar and the vanilla seeds and pod in a an ovenproof dish and bring to a very gentle simmer on the hob. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Keep checking to ensure it isn’t catching on the bottom. Once the rice has swollen, it’s cooked.

If you prefer skin on your rice pudding, how my mum makes it, then cook in a shallow ovenproof dish and do not cover. It may take a little longer.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and add the butter and cream to enrich the rice. Allow to cool for a minute or two then serve in warm bowls topped with a few strawberries, a sprinkle of praline and some shredded mint leaves.