Rice Pudding with Beignets with Berries and Rosewater

Makes 20 Beignets

This is a Guest Recipe by Ravinder Bhogal featured in The Financial Times

This is a lovely way to serve rice pudding, complemented so well by the berries.

Ingredients

1 litre whole milk

225g Arborio rice

25g butter

1 vanilla bean, split

1 strip of thin orange rind

115g caster sugar

75g plain flour

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

1 teaspoon baking powder

Oil for deep-frying

Icing sugar, to dust

For the Berries and Rosewater

75g strawberries hulled, plus extra to serve

75g raspberries plus extra to serve

1 tablespoon good-quality Rosewater

Basil cress, small basil or mint leaves to garnish

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.....

1. Combine the milk with the rice, butter, vanilla bean and seeds and orange rind in a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to the boil.
   
   
2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender - this should take about 20 minutes.
   
   
3. Transfer to a clean dish, cool and discard vanilla pod.
   
   
4. Add the sugar, flour, egg, rum and baking powder, stir to combine and refrigerate until the mixture is firm - this will take about four hours.   If the mixture is still too wet, add a little extra flour.
   
   
5. In the meantime, combine the berries and rosewater in a small bowl, mash together using a fork, then strain into a bowl, discarding the solids.    Chill in the fridge.
   
   
6. Heat the oil to 180C Fan in a deep fryer or deep saucepan.
   
   
7. Using two wet spoons, create a quenelle shape of the mixture and deep fry for four minutes or until golden brown.
   
   
8. Dust with the icing sugar and serve with berry sauce, extra fruit and basil.