Arborio Rice pudding with a Blackberry Compote

Rice Pudding must be one of the most comforting desserts around!! It is velvety, smooth and creamy and not at all difficult to make!! We grew up with rice pudding, but in those days things like vanilla pods and Arborio rice were unfamiliar to my mom and gran, yet we were often treated to this delicious dessert on cold winter nights. I think they just used regular rice and most probably vanilla essence, but because it was made with so much love the "inferior" ingredients did not make a big difference to us as children.
It is no wonder then that I am craving this dessert when days are cold and rainy. Nothing can be more comforting than a bowl of rice pudding with hints of cinnamon and vanilla!!!

Arborio Rice pudding with Blackberry Compote

Ingredients

1/2 cup Arborio Rice- uncooked
2 cups water
2 cups full cream milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 vanilla bean - split and inside scraped out
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp butter
small pinch of salt
125 ml cream

Method

Bring water to the boil. Add salt and rice and vanilla pod and seeds. Cook on low temerature until most of the water is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add the milk and the sugar, mix well and let it cook for about 10 minutes until the mixture is creamy and the rice is soft. Whisk the egg yolk and slowly add to the rice mixture. add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Serve immediately with the following berry compote.

Blackberry compote

Ingredients

500gr blackberries
1 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups water

Method

Place blackberries, sugar, lime juice, cinnamon stick and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, or until reduced by half. Let cool.