Greek Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is one of my ultimate comfort foods and this is just one more version of what I think is the best dessert ever. Traditionally, this dish is served cold.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  liter milk
• 100  g long-grain white rice
• 1⁄2  unwaxed lemon, zest of, wafer-thin
• 1  cinnamon stick
• 2  egg yolks
• 2  tablespoons  cold milk
• 2  teaspoons cornflour
• 1  teaspoon vanilla essence
• 125  g sugar
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  vanilla pod
• 4  tablespoons sugar
• 400  g  ripe yellow plums or 400  g  other plums

Directions

1. Place the litre of milk in a saucepan and simmer over a low heat for five minutes.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the rice until the water runs clean.
3. Add rice, lemon zest and cinnamon stick to the milk and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.
4. In a small saucepan, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the cold milk and cornflour, and simmer over a low heat until thickened.
5. Add this mixture, together with the vanilla essence and sugar, to the rice and milk mixture.
6. Simmer, stirring, for a further five minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.
8. Remove the cinnamon stick and pour into one large or four to six individual bowls.
9. Refrigerate until ready to use and serve sprinkled with cinnamon.
10. To cook the plums, place 200ml water, the vanilla pod and four tablespoons of sugar in a pan and simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.
11. Meanwhile, run a sharp knife around the middle of the plums, twist apart and remove the stones.
12. Add the plums to the sugar water, cover and cook for three minutes.
13. Turn off the heat and leave for five minutes before pouring into a dish to cool.