Anne Morgan Delia Smith’s rice pudding uses a tin of evaporated milk alongside whole milk, and that is the trick most baked rice pudding recipes are missing. Short-grain pudding rice, 40g golden granulated sugar, 850ml (1½ pints) whole milk, a 410g tin of evaporated milk, butter, and a whole nutmeg go into a buttered dish and bake low and slow at 150°C (Gas Mark 2 / 300°F) for 2¼ hours, serving 4.
I grew up eating rice pudding from a tin and thought that was all there was to it. The first time I made this old fashioned rice pudding from scratch and saw the golden skin on top, I could not believe it was the same thing. Delia’s method in How To Cook is so simple it almost feels like cheating: stir once at 45 minutes, then leave it alone.
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Why Evaporated Milk and Not Just Cream?
Evaporated milk has already been cooked down, so it brings a concentrated richness and a faint caramel taste that fresh cream does not have. It is also cheaper than using double cream, which is probably why Delia chose it. Mixed with whole milk, it gives you a custard-thick pudding without the heaviness.
I tried it once with just whole milk and no evaporated, and the result was watery and thin. The evaporated milk is the whole reason this rice pudding recipe tastes like something you would pay for in a restaurant rather than something you made for 60p.
Rice Pudding Ingredients
- 175ml pudding rice (about 150g / 5 oz), measured to the level in a glass jug
- 40g (1½ oz) golden granulated sugar
- 410g tin evaporated milk
- 850ml (1½ pints) whole milk
- 25g (1 oz) butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 whole nutmeg, for grating
How To Make Delia Smith Rice Pudding
- Heat the oven: Set to 150°C (130°C Fan / Gas Mark 2 / 300°F). Rub butter generously around the inside of a 1.4 litre (2½ pint) ovenproof dish.
- Mix the base: Put the pudding rice and sugar into the dish. Pour in the whole milk and the tin of evaporated milk. Stir everything together until the sugar dissolves and the rice is spread evenly.
- Season the top: Grate the whole nutmeg over the surface. It will look like far too much, but the flavour mellows over the long bake. Dot the top with small pieces of butter.
- First bake: Put the dish on the middle shelf and bake for 45 minutes.
- Stir once: Slide the shelf out and give the pudding a good stir. This stops the rice clumping together at the bottom and keeps the texture creamy. This is the only time you stir.
- Second bake: Put it back in the oven for another 1½ hours. Do not stir again. A golden skin will form on the surface during this time.
- Serve hot: The pudding is ready when the rice is swollen and soft, sitting in creamy liquid, with a dark golden wobbling skin on top. It will look quite loose, but it thickens as it cools.
Can You Make This in a Slow Cooker?
Yes. Butter the inside of the slow cooker pot, add the rice, sugar, both milks, and the grated nutmeg. Stir once, set it to low, and leave for 2 to 3 hours. Give it one stir after the first hour to stop the rice clumping at the bottom.
You will not get the golden baked skin that the oven version is famous for, so if that is the part you love, stick with the oven. I use the slow cooker when the oven is already full, especially at Christmas when every shelf is taken. The sticky toffee pudding is another one I make ahead when oven space is tight.
Leftover Rice Pudding
It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, but it sets solid as it cools. To bring it back, scoop a portion into a pan or microwave bowl and stir in a splash of milk to loosen it. Warm gently until it is creamy again.
Freezing is not worth it. The rice goes chalky and the milk splits when you thaw it. If you want a pudding that freezes well, the chocolate bread and butter pudding handles the freezer much better.
FAQs
What is the difference between pudding rice and normal rice?
Pudding rice is a short-grain variety that releases more starch as it cooks, which is what thickens the milk into a creamy texture. Long-grain rice like basmati stays separate and firm, so the pudding ends up thin and watery. Arborio risotto rice works as a swap if you cannot find pudding rice.
Can I use semi-skimmed milk instead of whole?
You can, but the pudding will be thinner and less rich. The evaporated milk adds some of the fat back, but whole milk gives the best result. Do not use skimmed milk at all or the texture will be too watery to set properly.
Should I wash the rice before baking?
No. Unlike rice for savoury dishes, you want the surface starch here because it thickens the milk as it bakes. Washing it off would give you a much thinner, less creamy pudding.
What is Eliza Acton’s rice pudding?
Eliza Acton was a Victorian cookery writer whose rice pudding recipe Delia references in her books. It is a richer version using eggs beaten into the milk mixture before baking, giving a firmer, more custard-like set. Delia’s standard recipe here does not use eggs, so it stays softer and looser.
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Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Protein: 12g
- Dietary Fibre: 0g
Nutrition information is estimated per serving (serves 4).
Delia Smith Rice Pudding Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy4
servings5
minutes2
hours15
minutes380
kcalDelia Smith’s rice pudding uses a tin of evaporated milk alongside whole milk, and that is the trick most baked rice pudding recipes are missing. Short-grain pudding rice, 40g golden granulated sugar, 850ml (1½ pints) whole milk, a 410g tin of evaporated milk, butter, and a whole nutmeg go into a buttered dish and bake low and slow at 150°C (Gas Mark 2 / 300°F) for 2¼ hours, serving 4.
I grew up eating rice pudding from a tin and thought that was all there was to it. The first time I made this old fashioned rice pudding from scratch and saw the golden skin on top, I could not believe it was the same thing. Delia’s method in How To Cook is so simple it almost feels like cheating: stir once at 45 minutes, then leave it alone.
Ingredients
175ml pudding rice (about 150g / 5 oz), measured to the level in a glass jug
40g (1½ oz) golden granulated sugar
410g tin evaporated milk
850ml (1½ pints) whole milk
25g (1 oz) butter, cut into small pieces
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
Directions
- Heat the oven: Set to 150°C (130°C Fan / Gas Mark 2 / 300°F). Rub butter generously around the inside of a 1.4 litre (2½ pint) ovenproof dish.
- Mix the base: Put the pudding rice and sugar into the dish. Pour in the whole milk and the tin of evaporated milk. Stir everything together until the sugar dissolves and the rice is spread evenly.
- Season the top: Grate the whole nutmeg over the surface. It will look like far too much, but the flavour mellows over the long bake. Dot the top with small pieces of butter.
- First bake: Put the dish on the middle shelf and bake for 45 minutes.
- Stir once: Slide the shelf out and give the pudding a good stir. This stops the rice clumping together at the bottom and keeps the texture creamy. This is the only time you stir.
- Second bake: Put it back in the oven for another 1½ hours. Do not stir again. A golden skin will form on the surface during this time.
- Serve hot: The pudding is ready when the rice is swollen and soft, sitting in creamy liquid, with a dark golden wobbling skin on top. It will look quite loose, but it thickens as it cools.
Notes
- Stir once at 45 minutes then leave it alone.
- Do not wash the rice, the starch thickens the milk.
- Use whole milk, not semi-skimmed.
- The skin is the best part, do not stir after the 45 minute mark.
