Flaked rice pudding
Ingredients
45g flaked rice
450 ml skimmed milk
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
Soft dark brown sugar, to serve
Method
The method for this dish couldn't be simpler - place the rice, milk and sugar in a pan on the stove, bring to the boil, then simmer for around ten minutes. Taste, and give it another couple of minutes if it's not thick enough or the rice is still hard. It's done!
Sprinkle dark brown sugar over the top when serving - this is optional, I prefer mine without, but it does look pretty. Don't put the sugar on until you come to eat it, even if it's cold, as the sugar will melt with the moisture and turn to brown liquid. This is delicious, but not what you want leaking all over your bento box!
NOTES:
These heart cups are silicone and were purchased from Bento Bird. They're great because you could actually bake a rice pudding in these if you prefer to cook rice pudding this way.
My method for rice pudding creates quite a solid ricey pudding, which I love and is great for the bento because unless you pick your box up and make like maracas with it, it'll stay where it's put. However, you could make a thinner pudding with more milk, and I'd recommend putting this in its own, sealed side dish container. If you're worried, you can always seal the heart cups with cling film - it's better than having milk flavoured teriyaki.
I've used golden caster sugar here because I always have it (thanks to Nigella Lawson) and it's ever so slightly caramelly. If you don't have it, use normal caster or granulated.
You could add some vanilla extract here if you wish - I've made this with and without and there's no real difference, to be honest!
Flaked rice is definitely worth a try if you can get hold of it - it creates a smoother taste and the rice becomes pebbly and melting, rather than fuzzy. Other than the fact it's been smashed flat, I don't think flaked rice is much different to pudding rice, which you could substitute.