Traditional rice puddings have as many recipes as traditional Yorkshire puddings, everyone has their own version, for my version here I've replicated my mum's which was traditionally made on a Sunday after our roast dinner, this was the only reason that the milkman delivered a bottle of sterilised milk on a Sunday, I have no idea why my mum used sterilised milk, maybe she inherited that from her mum whom I sadly never knew.
There are typically two debates over traditional rice pudding, loose and creamy or thick and stodgy and of course there is the almost burnt skin, you either love it or hate it, I used to hate it but now I absolutely embrace it.
Quantities for loose and creamy or thick and stodgy are provided..
You will need an ovenproof dish, approx. 8-9 inches in diameter and 2 inch deep lightly buttered or a classic rectangle ceramic tin.
Heat the oven to 150c / 130c fan
Place the rice and sugar in your baking dish
Mix both milks and the vanilla extract together then pour them on the rice and stir through
Grate the whole nutmeg on top and then dot with the butter
Place the dish on the middle shelf in the oven
After 30 minutes give the pudding a good stir and then repeat this once again after 30 minutes to ensure all the rice hasn't clumped together and has separated
Continue to bake for a further 1 hour until the skin on the top is lovely and browned
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes
Serve exactly as it is or as used to do as a child stir through some strawberry jam and of course nowadays one might have some braised vanilla plums, it's your choice entirely.