Serves 8 by Lucy Tweed
Cooking time 40 minutes + setting time
A nutty custard risotto with a burned brown-sugar toffee top. All you need to add is the whir of a woven cane fan, the distant crow from a rooster and the warm scent of the tropics heating ahead of the day. This is as much a breakfast as it is a dessert or poolside snack.
400ml coconut milk
250ml (1 cup) thickened (whipping) cream
500ml (2 cups) full-cream milk
4 pandan leaves, knotted (or 1 teaspoon pandan extract)
Pinch of salt
150g short-grain rice, such as arborio or sushi rice, rinsed well and drained
4 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
CARAMEL
2–4 tablespoons caster sugar
Blowtorch
METHOD
In a heavy-based saucepan over low heat, combine the coconut milk, cream, milk, pandan leaves or extract and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Immediately stir in the rice and cook gently, stirring often, for 25–30 minutes or until the rice is tender and the mixture is thickened and creamy. Remove the pandan leaves and discard.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale. Ladle a small amount of the hot rice mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper, then pour this back into the saucepan with the rice. Stir continuously over very low heat for 5–8 minutes until thickened and custardy — do not boil.
Spoon the pudding into 8 x 125ml (½-cup) mini bowls or dishes. Allow to cool slightly, then chill in the refrigerator until set for at least 2 hours.
Line a metal baking tray with foil and place a cooling rack on top. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of caster sugar over each set coconut rice pudding (or cream caramel). Tap gently to spread the sugar evenly. Set a blowtorch to high or medium–high, avoiding the yellow flame. Wave the flame evenly across the sugar until it bubbles and turns golden brown. If patches start to burn, stop and even out the sugar by dusting off any excess or tapping the surface, then continue torching. Allow the caramel to set into a brittle toffee top before serving. Without the toffee top, the rice puddings can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
