RICE PUDDING WITH SPICED PLUMS

When it comes to comfort food you really can't go wrong with rice pudding. I love it.  I can eat it baked with the skin on top, made on the hob, hot or cold.  As a child if I was poorly my mother's rice pudding was the only thing that made me better.  Even school rice pudding with the blob of jam that of course you had to stir in so it all went pink.  I just love rice pudding and with the addition of these spiced plums and their magnificent crimson intensity, it really doesn't get better.

This is posh rice pudding, a decadent grown up version that is almost embarrased at how luxurious it has become.

700ml Milk, 50g Sugar, 200g Pudding Rice, 150g Double Cream, Freshly Grated Nutmeg

To make the rice pudding, heat the milk and sugar then add the rice and cook for 30 minutes stiring from time to time to stop it sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Once cooked, stir through the double cream and grated nutmeg.

Spiced Plums
500g Plums halved and seeded
50g Sugar
150ml Fresh Orange Juice
Zest of 1 Orange
2 Star Anise
1 Cinnamon Stick

Put all the ingredients into an oven proof dish and bake for 30 minutes at 190C.  When the plums are tender top with the rice pudding and return to the oven for 20 minutes till browned.

PANETTONE FRUIT PUDDING

Unfortunately I'm not a great fan of panettone, it's the bits of peel I'm not keen on but I love getting them at christmas because they usually come in such beautiful tins.  In past years I've made them into bread and butter pudding but this year I wanted to come up with something different.

This is my version of a summer pudding with a hint of winter.  I've added mulling spice I had left from a hamper and star anise to the fruit in an attempt to make christmas last just a little longer.

Over a medium heat warm 900g Soft Fruit with 200g Sugar.  I used a bag of cherries and a bag of mixed berries that included blackberries, strawberries and redcurrants, both were frozen but you can use fresh. Blackberry and Apple are also a good combination. To this add 2 Star Anise and 1 Mulled Wine Spice bag.

Gently cook for 5 minutes till the sugar has dissolved and the juices begin to run. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly while you line your basin or ramekins.

You will need 2/3 of a Large Panettone to make 6 individual ramekins or a 1 1/2 pint pudding basin.  I lined mine with cling film to make them  easy to store remove.  Cut a circle to line the base then add slices slightly overlapping around the sides.  Fill each one with fruit and juices, reserving about half the juice, then cover with a panettone lid.

Place each pudding on a baking sheet, bring your cling film over the tops of the ramekins to cover then place another baking sheet on top.  Next use a heavy weight on top and place in the fridge.  I used a 3 litre water bottle.  Leave it over night for the juices to soak in.

To serve, turn your puddings out and pour over the reserved sauce to cover any white patches then just add cream x