As requested – Helens Rice Pudding recipe!

Posted on 8 Sep 2009 | 1 comment

I’m a great believer in giving my baby (now nine months) similar foods to the rest of the family. I was giving her the rice puds from jars and squashy packets, which were perfectly nice, but it dawned on me that I could just make my own which the rest of the family could enjoy too (plus it is so much cheaper).  She was about six months when I first gave her home made rice pudding, and even though I was a little concerned about the lumps, she certainly wasn’t. Down it went – then she looked at me expectantly for more.

For variation I squash a banana and mix it in (great for when they are really hungry) or serve it with a Hipp apple and strawberry puree. If you are feeling particularly domestic-goddess-like you could, of course, stew your own fruit.

Rice Pudding takes a bit of forethought as the family sized recipe below takes about two and a half hours to bake in the oven, but it’s worth it. Whenever I give it to my daughter at tea time she sleeps in for longer the next day.

Family Sized Recipe
(This feeds my baby plus a hungry son and husband with some left for the following evening)
4oz or 100g Short Grain Rice
1-2oz or 25 – 50g sugar
2 pints full cream milk
Nutmeg grated

Put the rice and sugar in a deep dish oven proof bowl. Add milk and give a mix. Grate the nutmeg according to taste over the top and place in a pre heated oven. My fan oven takes about 2 and a half hours at 150 degrees (celsius). Normal electric on the same temperature will probably take another half hour or so.

If you are just feeding your baby you can easily halve these quantities but remember to reduce the cooking time too. Half the recipe takes about 1 and a 1/2 hours on 150 fan or two hours on 150 electric. Once cooked it can sit quite happily in the fridge providing tea for a number of nights.

If you over cook then take out a portion and add some fruit puree or milk.