We happened to stumble across this when we accidentally made too much rice for a meal and had leftovers (we’ve no idea how that happened! A measuring error is our only possible excuse). It’s thick, gooey and sweet, just what you need at the end of a meal.

Thick, gooey and jammy… What more could you want?

Now this recipe does involve reheating rice, and we can already feel some of you recoiling at the idea. Here’s how we make sure we’re not going to get ill. We will only do this when the rice has been cooked for the same meal, so it’s not even had time to get cold really, and as part of the recipe we ensure it gets brought back up to a high temperature before eating.

Robert has some strong opinions on rice pudding and the runny mixture that you get out of a can is not his idea of a good rice pudding. It is possible to make rice pudding which is a thicker (even slightly stodgy) consistency, that still has texture and you can eat with a fork. It takes a bit more time, but in our opinion it is well worth the effort.

Ingredients

The ingredients list for this desert can be as long or as short as you want. For us it usually depends on what we have to hand. I don’t think we’ve ever measured this one, so there are no strict measurements here either, but a bit of guidance is given.

Core ingredients

The core ingredients are a stable base, then you can add whatever tweaks and twists you find along the way:

Rice - Now it does not have to be cooked already, but this tends to be what we do with too much cooked rice. We often don't end up making more than a couple of cups worth of cooked rice for this dish.

Powdered milk - About enough to make more of a thick cream rather than a milk, and enough to cover the amount of rice that you have left when placed in your pan.

Sugar or honey - This is something to turn the rice dish from savoury to sweet, and the amount should be to your taste.

Optional Ingredients

If you know that you are going to make this on the trail then you can pack some extra flavours, here are our favourites:

Jam - A spoonful of jam on top adds not just sweetness, but also a freshness to the dish.

Nutmeg - This has to be a classic for a reason. If you know that you are making this on the trail then a few grams of grated nutmeg can get lost in the overall weight of your ingredients.

Cooking equipment

This is one that you can easily do in the wild.

Camping stove - Something that has a controllable heat is preferable. Although possible over a fire it takes a bit more work and close attention.

Large pan - If you are using a two person cook set, then the largest pan is what you need here.

Mixing spoon - Something to mix the ingredients is needed.

Whisk (optional) - Primarily for mixing up powdered milk, but it can also help to break the rice grains down when stirring the mixture.

Method

Making this on the trail is more about perseverance than it is technique.

Cook and drain your rice if you aren’t using leftovers. Aiming for just cooked here, not mush.
In a large pan mix up powdered milk to make a slightly thicker milk than directed by the packet for full fat milk. This will make the rice pudding thicker quicker.
Add the sugar or honey.
Add the cooked rice to the pan.
Heat the mixture up slowly. Constantly stir the mixture (with a spoon or whisk) until it reaches a simmer. You are going to want to get the mixture properly hot. If the milk starts to froth up and boil over, remove from the heat, let it cool for a moment or two and return to the heat at a lower setting.
Keep stirring until the rice pudding becomes thick and creamy. At this point you can choose when to stop cooking. Robert prefers to take it to the point where there is actually very little liquid left.
Serve and add any toppings you want/have.

Trail tips

This recipe requires a fair bit of heat for a prolonged period, so it is not the kindest on fuel. We have often made this when we have access to open fire, it usually takes a little longer than on a stove though. This can be a nice activity to do over a twig stove at the end of the day, slowly adding twigs to the stove, while gently whisking and watching the sun go down.

Wash up immediately afterwards. This sticks like s**t to a blanket.

Leftover Rice Pudding