Baked Apple Rice Pudding is a heartwarming dessert that combines the creamy richness of rice pudding with the sweet, spiced flavors of cooked apples. This traditional Romanian recipe is perfect for any time of the year, and both kids and adults will love it. With its layers of tender rice, fragrant cinnamon, and juicy apples, this pudding is a true comfort food that can be enjoyed warm or cold.
This Baked Apple Rice Pudding is a comforting and versatile dessert that layers creamy, cinnamon-spiced rice pudding with tender, buttery apples. The combination of short-grain rice cooked in milk, mixed with a warm, spiced egg mixture, and layered with sweet, tart apples creates a rich and flavorful treat.
Serve it on its own or enhanced with a dollop of your favorite fruit preserves or a drizzle of fruit syrup.
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Why You Should Try This Recipe
- Versatile and Comforting: This dessert is perfect for any time of the year, whether you're looking for a cozy winter treat or a light summer dessert. The combination of creamy rice and spiced apples is comforting and satisfying.
- Family-Friendly: This pudding is a hit with both kids and adults. It's a great way to introduce little ones to new flavors and textures while still appealing to more mature palates.
- Customizable: The recipe allows for plenty of substitutions and additions, making it easy to adapt to your preferences or what you have on hand. You can add raisins, switch up the spices, or even top it with your favorite preserves for a personalized touch.
Ingredients needed
For the rice pudding:
- Short-Grain Rice (Arborio rice): This type of rice is ideal for puddings because of its high starch content, which makes the pudding creamy. If you don't have Arborio rice, you can substitute with another short-grain rice or even medium-grain rice, though the texture may vary slightly. (please do not use parboiled or instant rice)
- Whole Milk: Whole milk provides richness and creaminess to the rice pudding. For a lighter version, you can substitute with 2% milk, or for a non-dairy option, use almond milk or coconut milk, though this will alter the flavor.
- Salt: Just a pinch of salt helps to enhance the flavors of the pudding.
For the egg mixture:
- Eggs: Eggs add richness and help to bind the pudding together.
- Granulated Sugar: Sugar sweetens the pudding and balances the tartness of the apples. You can substitute it with honey or maple syrup for a natural alternative.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg: These warm spices are essential for adding depth to the flavor. Feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your taste, or try adding a pinch of ground cloves or allspice for extra warmth.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a subtle sweetness and enhances the overall flavor. You can substitute it with vanilla bean paste or omit it if you prefer.
- Lemon Zest: The zest adds a bright, citrusy note that complements the apples. If you don't have fresh lemons, you can use orange zest or a small amount of lemon extract.
- Apples: For the best flavor contrast, choose tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. You can also use sweeter apples if that's your preference. Leftover apples are great for this recipe.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice prevents the apples from browning and adds a touch of acidity to balance the sweetness. If you don’t have lemons, you can substitute them with lime juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar.
- Butter: Butter adds richness and helps cook the apples to a soft, tender texture. You can use margarine or a plant-based butter for a dairy-free option.
- Raisins (Optional): Raisins add extra sweetness and texture. You can substitute them with other dried fruits like cranberries, cherries, or currants, or leave them out entirely if you prefer.
Trivia: Do you know that the Honeycrisp apple variety was developed in Minnesota in 1974? It is now one of the most popular apples found in grocery stores in America.
How To Make This Baked Rice Pudding With Apples
Step 1. Preheat oven. As I always preach, this is an important step when baking. There is nothing more annoying than discovering that you are ready to put the baking dish/tray in the oven, and the darn thing is cold because you forgot to preheat it.
Step 2. Cook the rice in milk. In a medium saucepan, bring the rice, milk, and a pinch of salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the rice, mixing continuously until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed, for about 15-20 minutes.
Don’t forget the salt. A pinch of salt in any dessert will balance the sweetness of the dish and enhance the taste. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Step 3. Prepare the egg mixture. While the rice is cooling, let's make the egg mixture. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar.
Add cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and lemon zest. When the rice is cool, pour the egg mixture over it and mix well.
Step 4. Prepare the apples. Clean the apples and cut them the way you prefer. You can grate them, mince them, or slice them thin. This is your preference. (If you make this dessert for a baby or toddler, grate the apples, as they are easier to chew and swallow.)
Juice the lemon and pour the liquid over the apples. This will prevent browning. Place the apples in a pan with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Optional: add the raisins.
Cook the apples until soft, approximately 7-10 minutes.
Step 5. Assemble the pudding and bake. Butter the bottom and edges of an 8x8 baking pan. Place half the cooked rice in the pan, add the cooked apples, and cover with the other half of the cooked rice. Bake the pudding for about 30 minutes until golden on top. Serve cold or warm.
Optional: Serve it with fruit syrup on top or your favorite fruit preserves, such as sour cherry, apricot, strawberry, or raspberry preserves.
Expert Tips
Cool the Rice: Make sure the rice is cooled before adding the egg mixture to prevent the eggs from cooking prematurely.
Rice Consistency: Stir the rice continuously while cooking to prevent it from sticking to the pan and ensure a creamy consistency.
Storage Instructions
Refrigeration: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Freezing: You can freeze the baked pudding for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More Recipes With Apples
- Apple pie- Romanian Style
- Cranberry Chutney With Apples
- Rice Chicken Salad With Apples and Walnuts
- Celtic Pork Mince Pie
- Easy Apple Cake Bars
So, what do you think? Are you going to make this recipe? Leave a note under the comment area. Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Baked Apple Rice Pudding
Ingredients
For the rice:
- 1 cup short-grain rice like Arborio rice
- 3 cups whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the egg mixture:
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Zest from 1 lemon
For the apples:
- 2-3 medium apples shredded
- 1 lemon juice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup raisins optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350F/180C.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the rice, milk, and a pinch of salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the rice mixing continuously until the rice is cooked and the liquid absorbed, for about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat together the eggs with sugar. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and lemon zest.
- When the rice is cool, pour the egg mixture over it and mix well.
- Separately, clean the apples and cut them the way you prefer. You can shred them, mince them or just slice them thin. Juice the lemon and pour the liquid over the apples.
- Place the apples in a pan with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Optional, add the raisins.
- Cook the apples until soft, approximately 7-10 minutes.
- Butter the bottom and the edges of an 8x8 baking pan.
- Place a layer of rice mixture into the baking pan, a layer of cooked apples, another layer of rice and apples until you finish, making sure the last layer on top is rice. Or, if you prefer, place half the amount of cooked rice in the pan, add the cooked apples, and cover with the other half of the cooked rice.
- Bake the pudding for about 30 minutes until golden on top.
- Serve cold or warm.
- Optional: Serve it with fruit syrup on top or use your favorite fruit preserves, like sour cherry, apricot, strawberry, or raspberry preserves.
Notes
- Rice Substitution: If you don't have short-grain rice, medium-grain rice can be used as a substitute, though the texture will be slightly different.
- Dairy-Free Option: Substitute the whole milk with almond milk or coconut milk, and use a plant-based butter for a dairy-free version of this dessert.
- Optional Add-ins: Customize your pudding by adding raisins, chopped nuts, or even a handful of shredded coconut to the rice mixture before baking.
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