Cinnamon Rice Pudding with Cherry Compote

This is an adaptation of a recipe by Chef Ottolenghi. His recipe is not vegan, but I am sure our lighter, vegan version will be enjoyable for vegans.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

for the rice pudding:

for the cherry compote:

1 tablespoon rose petals as garnish

Directions:

to make the rice pudding:

Place 3 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil.
Add the rice and boil for 10 minutes.
Drain the rice and throw away the water.
Place the non-dairy milk and sugar in the saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.
Add the rice, and cinnamon and turn the heat down to simmer and cook until the rice is very soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed or cooked off. It will take about 35 minutes, and be sure to stir-otherwise it may scald.
Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, stir, place a lid on the pot and allow the rice too cool.

to make the cherry compote:

Drain the liquid of the cherries into a sauce pan.
Add the sugar, cornstarch and rose water if using and heat stirring.
When the sauce becomes thick, add the cherries and cinnamon and continue to stir.
Adding the cherries will slightly thin the mixture, but once it heats up again it will thicken.
Be careful stirring as the cherries are rather delicate.
When the liquid has become thick and clear, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

to make the dessert:

Place a tablespoon or two of the cherry compote in the bottom of a parfait glass.
Next place 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon rice mixture.
Top with a few cherries.
Continue filling each parfait glass.
Roughly chop the pistachios and sprinkle over the top of the cherries.
Pick a few petals from edible roses and place on top of the dessert as garnish.

Notes:

We were not able to find edible dried roses, and there were still some lovely simple miniature roses in bloom so we used them.

Harald Walker