Rice Pudding

When I was a child we always drank fresh cows's milk. I don't mean the kind you get in the supermarket (that was always the artificial kind according to my mother), I mean real fresh cow's milk that had just been milked and delivered in a large metal milk jug. The milk-man would always knock on our door every other day. If we wanted milk we would have to run inside and fetch a pot so that he could pour the amount we needed. He would dip his small jug into the big metal milk jug-which he usually carried around on a bicycle- and pour the amount we needed in our pot. Then immediately that pot went on the stove and was boiled thoroughly to get rid of any bacteria. Cream was skimmed off the surface and stored and the rest of the milk was cooled and left in the fridge. The milk smelled completely different than milk we get today, you could definately smell cows and nature. Years later the milk-man stopped coming to our door because noone bought his milk. All the big milk companies were taking over and advertising their pasteurizing process, claiming that their products were safer. I never really appreciated this milk-man till I grew up and had kids of my own. I began appreciating all the traditions that I experienced growing up and cherished then. Maybe because I feel nostalgic and miss my parents and family. Or maybe because we live in a world where authenticity has been fogged up by over-processing, over purifying, and pasteurizing, that there's almost hardly anything natural left that hasn't been tampered with. This is what tempted me to make my own jam more often. And maybe this is what tempted me to buy own mill attachment so I can grind my own corn and wheat and make flour. Maybe this is why I was so touched by Aran's post from Cannelle et Vanille where she talks about making her own petit swisse, yogurt etc. I love picking my own herbs from my garden and was even tempted to buy a small cherry tomato to plant but the temperature here soars so high that I would doubt it could survive. Whatever it is I am deeply affected by something that is driving me to make home-produced food that is normally bought from the store. Maybe I am affected by the way my mother, and her mother before her were, maybe I want to be a better mother for my children. So yesterday I was at the store looking at the dairy section and while reading all the different labels on the tiny containers I came accross rice pudding, and it was quite expensive. I make it often but I hadn't made it in a while and really missed it, so I decided to pick up a 2 litre jug of double-cream milk and make it as soon as I got home! I remember reading Aran's post on Rice pudding and thinking how similar it was to ours, we also make it without eggs and almost the exact same ingredients. In Cairo, where I am originally from, rice pudding or as we call it "roz b'laban" which is translated simply as "rice with milk" is a traditional dessert. There are shops dedicated exclusively to the dessert and they have really expanded their menu and produced a variety of flavors and spin-offs on the original. My favorite is "Roz bil Ice" which is translated "rice with ice" which is rice pudding sprinkled with coarsely crushed and roasted mixed nuts and topped with a single scoop of fresh vanilla ice-cream. It may sound weird to have rice pudding with ice-cream and I had my doubts the first time I tried it, but that is one thing you really must try for yourself to appreciate! I remember the first shop of its kind opened up in Alexandria, and we didn't have one in Cairo. It seems like yesterday that we (my college buddies and I) drove up from Cairo to Alex and back just to have rice pudding (it's roughly a 2 hour drive). Those were wonderful days!



My brother and I always debated on what made the best rice pudding . I spent some time trying out different recipes to achieve the perfect texture and taste. The secret, I discovered, it all boils down to the quality of the milk, so I use double-cream milk. I also noticed that fresher rice pudding isn't solid, but much looser than most other varieties and realized that stopping the cooking process earlier achieves that runnier (but not too runny) version. The less starch that comes out of the rice during the simmer, the thinner it sets. Some people half cook the rice and then add it to the milk, but i prefer to make the whole process easier on myself. When you use double cream milk you get a lovely rich top layer in the pudding that is a lot thicker than if you're using single cream milk. The recipe is below if you want to try it!



Rice Pudding:

2 liters double cream fresh milk
170 g. short-grained rice (I use Egyptian rice)
8 tbs sugar (you can use brown or white)
1 tbs cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick

Optional additions:

crushed nuts or crushed pistachios
powdered cinnamon
vanilla ice-cream

Method:
Wash & drain the rice. In a medium saucepan slowly heat the milk and cinnamon, add rice and simmer slowly on low heat. Add sugar and mix well. I usually use a metal heat diffuser on the stove to avoid burning or over-heating the rice. Stir occasionally for about 40 mins until the mixture thickens slightly. Take off the heat and pour into bowls, jars or even glasses. Sprinkle with nuts or cinnamon and leave to cool. Store in the fridge.

Hokey-Pokey!

I was first introduced to this curious sweet in England in the 1980's. That's when I had my first crunchie bar ever, it came in this shiny bright orange wrapper. My brothers and I loved it, and fought over it whenever we had one to share... it was all about the golden, crisp, sweet and air-filled center. I remember wondering how they got it in there and what it was made from. It tasted so wonderful and the texture was so enticing that it made you want to take another bite, and another, and pretty soon the mysterious chocolate bar was gone. If I had known then as a 5 year old, what I know now...that the golden crisp centre was made using very simple ingredients and that it can be easily cooked up using a saucepan and some heat I would have gone nuts. But then again the mystery of the crunchie would have been dissolved and I would be left with an obvious "it's just sugar, duh"!! I think I still would've eaten tons of it because I made this yesterday and it's all gone today and I'm 30 not 5!!!



The sweet originated in New Zealand and seems to be a popular favorite there. I don't know how it got it's name (which usually refers to a dance that kids do) but apparently early ice-cream wrapped in wax paper was called hokey-pokey. I saw Nigella Lawson make this on TV a while back. What I like about Nigella is that she reminds me of myself...she's passionate about what she cooks. She eats with such fervor and passion and almost devours food in a way that can't be fake. She made a batch of hokey-pokey for a friend and she ate it all in the taxi on the way there... this what I would do...When I saw her make it my mind was racing with all the possibilities I could use this for...mix it with vanilla ice cream, add it to cheesecake...and make it into shapes, so that how I thought of pouring it into a mold.
Anyway I adjusted the recipe a bit and instead of just pouring it on parchment or a silpat I used a silicone mold. The mold allows sugar to set thicker and so you get more of the amazing texture that the hokey-pokey is all about (and that's what it's all about he he)!!



Basic Hokey-Pokey:
(can be stored in an airtight container for a few days)

200g caster sugar
3 tbs golden syrup
1 tsp baking soda

In a medium saucepan add the sugar and syrup and stir once or twice on low heat. Turn the heat to medium and once everything dissolves turn it back to low. Don't stir too much, just let everything melt together and once it starts bubbling stir a few more times. It should be golden and completely dissolved. Don't leave it on the heat too much or it will burn and taste awful. Take the saucepan off the heat and working quickly add the baking soda stirring once or twice. Once it starts expanding and bubbling up pour it into the molds, parchment or on a silpat (note: the mixture will be bubbling like an erupting volcano so it won't pour perfectly, you have to sort of pour it and then spread it a bit). The mixture will be VERY hot so resist touching it. Leave it alone for 20 mins. or so. Break it up & eat..



Hokey-Pokey with Peanut Butter & Chocolate:

Leave the hokey-pokey to cool down in the mold. The middle should sink in a bit giving you a sort of cavity that you can fill with peanut butter (I used crunchy for added texture). Melt some chocolate melts, cake covering or even milk chocolate and pour over the peanut butter and level it with the tops of the molds.

Allow to cool at room temp or in the fridge very briefly. Carefully un-mold the cups breaking the edges away (make sure you don't have any sharp edges). Take a bite and enjoy.

Alternatively if you have no molds you can just dip hokey-pokey pieces in chocolate and let them cool then spread some peanut butter on top...heavenly!

Mango & Lemon Chiffon Trifle...

It's starting to get really hot here in Dubai. We're not quite at the highest temperature of the year but we're getting there. My children love their evenings in the park but everyday their cheeks get redder than the day before and the weather is slightly less bearable. We're very fortunate to live in a nice community and are blessed to have a little garden where we can plant flowers and trees and even grow some herbs. M, my husband is obsessed with the garden. It's his little sanctuary and spends so much time watering and tending to it. Now it's so hot that the grass has turned yellow and it's made him sad. It's almost impossible to sit outside in our little gazebo without feeling sticky and uncomfortable. So when a couple of our friends came over during the weekend (for a swim & BBQ) I had to think of the most cooling summery desserts ever. I wasn't in the mood to make something difficult. I really wanted to spend as much time as I could with my family. M only gets one day off a week and it's so precious when we get to spend the whole day together. I was finishing up the lemon chiffon as they arrived, we decided to skip the BBQ as it was too hot to stand outside, so instead they picked up take-away on their way over. After eating, swimming, bathing the kids, it was finally time for some mint tea and a cool dessert. We were sitting in the gazebo and everyone was so hot. In came the trifle, even though it's so simple to make, it is always impressive. The top light lemony layer of chiffon is so light and fluffy and when you dig in all the way you get a taste of the sweet mango with the cake & jello, so delightful...



Mango & Lemon Chiffon Trifle
(makes 6)

1 small (about 200g) plain pound cake (best to use dry cake or store bought).
1 packet Mango Jello (you can use apricot or lemon)
1 Mango peeled & sliced

Lemon Chiffon

2 eggs
2 egg yolks
110 g caster sugar
1 tsp lemon rind
1 tsp gelatine
l tbs lemon juice
60 ml water
180 ml heavy cream

Dice the pound cake into cubes and place in the bottom of 6 dessert bowls, or glasses. Make the jello according to the packet instructions and add 1/2 over the sponge. Refrigerate until set. cover the remaining jello and cool till it's the consistency of an unbeaten egg white.
Pureé most of the mango reserving some slices for decoration. Add the cooled jello to the set jello and top with the mango pureé. Follow with a the lemon chiffon. Decorate with mango slices.

Lemon Chiffon Method:

Beat all of the egg yolks, 1/2 of sugar and lemon rind in an electric mixer until creamy and thick. Dissolve gelatine in hot water and add the lemon juice. Stir until dissolved and add to the egg yolk mixture. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, add sugar slowly, dissolving well. Fold into the egg yolk mixture, whip cream until soft peaks form and fold in to the lemon mixture.

Rich Chocolate & Orange Mousse and a Thank You!

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I think what is great about keeping a blog is that it provides structure to our otherwise cluttered life. Everyday when I go to sleep I always make a mental list of the things I need to do the next day, make my sons weekly purees, or clean out my closet, get an assignment ready for a class. I sometimes even think about what I'll cook or wear or buy. It's so overwhelming and when I wake up the next day I set about to fulfill the tasks I rehearsed in my head. Sometimes I complete them and other times I don't and a hint of frustration sets in. But when I've written a post, or baked something, it keeps me satisfied. It gives a sense of completion and there is evidence of productivity and I think that's really all that matters. I've been unsure whether or not to keep blogging since I'm new and not sure if my blog "means much" but as someone helped me realize that I'm not doing it for people, but doing it for myself and it can be therapeutic and give so much satisfaction.
I've read in some blogs (the links to are at the bottom of this post) about giving back and the self-indulgence involved with creating and the guilt that comes with it. Creating is an act of giving in itself, it doesn't matter if what you're creating is a painting, a cookie or a movie. I don't think blogging is a Pygmalion-like activity, at least not for most. It’s not like you’re admiring your creation, boasting about it or even out to satisfy a selfish streak (well maybe a tiny bit and we’re all entitled to it). I think the bigger picture is about sharing. Sharing what you’ve created, sharing the memories & excitement of how you made it and the stories that come with it. Giving it a place in more than one person’s consciousness. Since sharing is an act of giving then it cannot be a self- indulgent act.

So what would happen if suddenly the blog-o-sphere collapsed. And there were no more blogs, beautiful pictures or comments. Could we survive? The answer is an easy yes. Even though our blogs provide structure, satisfaction and allow us to share, even a small part of ourselves with others. Losing them does not matter. Just like if lose your home, it hurts…but when the shock wears away, what you miss most are your old photos and letters maybe…but when you have people you care about around you, then you count your blessings and move on. Even when we lose a person close to us. Now that really does hurt. But it is the end? No, because we have our memories. Because we’ve shared so much with that person and those acts of sharing and giving will always remain with us no matter how far apart we are.

Part of why I love reading blogs and writing in one is because you can read/write about anything from the mundane trivial everyday matters to the more complex, profound, serious or even universal issues. Precisely what life is about. You may have a tragedy happen to you one day and a day or two later you're laughing at a silly joke or doing your laundry. it doesn't mean the pain has gone or has been trivialized. It only means we our keeping our sanity. Just like what I read in Tartlelette's blog yesterday, peeling tangerines may keep your mind of your pain for a few seconds...those few second may be enough to keep you sane. And everyone needs a creative outlet, something they can plant, water and watch grow, something that gives back. Yes, tragedies may happen anywhere in the world or anytime in your life, but just because you keep a blog or make a painting or even sing in the shower doesn't mean you are taking life any less seriously.

Even though I am trained as an Artist I always come back to food and desserts specifically, I find myself staring at the colors and shapes of desserts at any shop with the wonder of a 5 year old, and the admiration of an art-critic looking at a pollock. I find myself smiling when I think about the infinite possibilities I can whip up in my kitchen. Your whole being is involved when you're making something sweet. You senses, your hands, your brain and like someone told me recently, your heart. It is the immediate gratification you get when you see your finished creation and the suspense that builds up to it and the suspense and satisfaction involved in tasting it. Like when you're developing your own photos and wait for the developer to work on your image and it finally appears its like magic. Almost like opening a brand new brightly wrapped present, part of the whole thrill is not knowing what's inside. All of these activities bring out the child in us. Every day when I check all my Google page, with feeds from all the blogs I love, and I see a new title, I get so excited. I click and wait, the page goes blank to reveal a new treat, and an equally thrilling anecdote and in my mind it creates a beautiful memory.



Before I get to the recipe I wanted to write a thank you to two people I don't know very well but showed me that blogging can be a support network and motivated me to keep creating & sharing. So thanks Aran & Helene, your blogs are truly inspirational!

I created this recipe for Sugar High Friday's created by Jennifer of The Domestic Goddess & hosted by Tartelette. This month's flavor is citrus... and when I first read it I thought I would make a citrus cake like the Clementine or Minneola Cake that I made so many times before and is a friends & family favorite. But I wanted to make something different this time. Terry's chocolate orange is one of my favorite chocolates and this rich mousse reminds of it in a refined way. I love chocolate in combination with fruits and the rough texture of the sweet, citrusy zest of the orange compliments the rich, smooth chocolate perfectly.





Rich Chocolate & Orange Mousse
(by Michel Roux)

150g plain chocolate (55%-70% cocoa solids) chopped.
1 tbsp liquid glucose
2 egg yolks
150ml double cream
30g Icing sugar

to decorate:
1 orange washed
100g. caster sugar

Prepare the decoration: Finely pare the zest from the orange into fine strips using a zester. place in a saucepan & cover with cold water, bring to a boil, over medium heat. Refresh and drain & repeat twice more. Put zests in small pan with 100ml of water and the caster sugar. Bring to a boil & buble for 1 minute. Leave the zests in the syrup. When cold drain & set aside.

To make the mousse, place chocolate in a double boiler. Bring water to a simmer. When the chocolate has melted take the bowl off the heat. Mix the glucose with the yolks and 2 tbsps of hot water, then mix into the melted chocolate.
In another bowl whip the cream & icing sugar to a ribbon consistency, then delicately fold it into the mousse without overworking. Pour 1/3 of the mousse in 4 glasses or glass bowls, scatter 1/3 of the zests on top repeat the layers twice finishing with a layer of mousse sprinkled with orange zest, refrigerate for one hour before serving. If refrigerated for longer then remove 30 mins before serving.