WHEN IN DOUBT, ADD LEMONS?

Baked Lemon Rice Custard

It’s not that I’m in doubt exactly, but crazy busy, heading down south tonight (Albany & Kojonup in Western Australia) for cooking classes and some training, so no leisurely cooking for me this weekend. I made this recipe mid week and the plate was practically licked clean. Lemons never fail me…rice puddings I can live without, but between the lemon custard for me, the bulk of the rice to fill the hollow legs of my 6ft 5 (and still growing) 16 year old and his brother (who is desperately trying to catch him), and the speed of the whole dessert, you really can’t go wrong this winter as the nights get longer and darker…

Lemon Rice Custard

NEED:

140g rice

150g sugar

zest and juice 2 lemons

5 large eggs

2 yolks

200g cream

pinch salt

DO:

Cook rice in Thermomix by placing into basket, covering with water and cooking for 15 minutes at 100C on speed 3.Set rice aside. Drain water from bowl and dry.

Preheat oven to 160C and butter a large shallow baking or pie dish. Set aside. (This would be fabulous baked as individual serves in small ceramic ramekins. Reduce cooking time to suit. And for food styling purposes is what I should have done, but of course, I have only just had a thought about that this morning!)

Place sugar and zest into Thermomix bowl and mill together for 10 seconds on speed 10.

Add juice, eggs, yolks, cream and salt and insert Butterfly.

Cook for 4 minutes at 80C on speed 4. Remove Butterfly.

Add cooked rice to custard and incorporate for 5-6 seconds on Reverse + speed 3.

Pour into prepared dish (es) making sure rice is distributed evenly throughout the dish, and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden on top and just set in centre. Serve dusted with icing sugar and fresh berries if available…and as you would know by now, a dollop of fresh cream never goes astray in my life!