Amaretto and Raisin Rice Pudding

For some inexplicable reason I was craving rice pudding, something I had never had before.

Since I didn't know if I would like it or not, I decided to head to the fridge section of the supermarket and pick one up. The sheer disappointment when I got home and discovered that I had only picked up a stupid yogurt! So, I took this as a sign to make some.

I followed the basic recipe on the back of the pack, to just cook the rice but upped the volume a little bit. Obviously I couldn't just leave it as the pack had suggested. I had to add some yummy things-sweet almond liqueur called Amaretto and a fistful of raisins.

I can now safely say, I like rice pudding!



Ingredients:
Serves 8-10 generously, can easily be halved.

3 Cups Water
1 1/2 Cups Uncooked Pudding Rice
5 Cups Whole Milk
1 Cup Double Cream
1/2 Cup Castor Sugar
1/3 Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup Amaretto
1 Cup Raisins
Pinch of Salt
Zest of a Lemon

Method:
1. Begin by cooking the rice. Bring the 3 cups of water to the boil, stir in the lemon zest, rice and a pinch of salt.
2. Reduce heat and simmer until the water has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove to a dish.
4. In a large pan place the butter, milk, cream and sugar. Bring to the boil.
5. Add the rice, raisins and Amaretto and cook down until rich and creamy about 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
6.Place in a serving dish and serve lovely and hot or delicious and cold.

*If you are cooling this before serving, transfer to a dish and cover with cling film directly on top of the rice pudding so a skin doesn't form*

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

'Ooohhh are those cupcakes?!' This is generally what people say around these little individual cups are delishness.

This recipe makes really soft, fluffy airy cakes and the Vanilla Buttercream is awesome-my favourite recipe.

Come on get yo' bake on!

Yum Cupped Cakes :)



Ingredients:
Makes 12
Adapted from 'Cupcakes From The Primose Bakery'
125g Unsalted Butter, soft
250g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
250g Plain Flour, sifted
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
4 Ripe Bananas, Mashed
175g Good Quality(30%-70% cocoa solids) Plain/Milk Chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 Quantity Vanilla Buttercream-see below

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 Degrees Celsius and line a twelve holed cupcake tray with cupcake cases.
2. Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and smooth-about 5 minutes.
3. Add the eggs one at time along with the vanilla essence. If necessary scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
4. Sift the flour and baking powder together, then add to the egg mixture. Stir until combined.
5. Add the mashed banana and the chocolate chips. The mixture should resemble cookie dough.
6. Scoop the mixture into the cases FILLING NO MORE THE THREE THIRDS OF THE WAY UP!!
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
8. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes in then, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Once cooled-ice these little beauties!

Vanilla Buttercream:
Ices 15ish Cupcakes
Ingredients:
100g Unsalted Butter, soft
60ml Milk, room temperature
2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
500g Icing Sugar, sieved twice

Method.
*Just to have a really smooth Buttercream I always sieve Icing Sugar twice*
1. In a food processor beat the butter, milk, extract and 250g of icing sugar until smooth-about 7 minutes.
2. Gradually add the remaining icing sugar until smooth.