Coconut Maple Rice Pudding

Coconut Maple Rice Pudding

Yes, this rice pudding is so darn good that it deserves it's own swanky font. Trust me. I honestly don't even know where the idea came from to make this kind of rice pudding. I can't even tell you why I have wanted it so much lately. That's just my sweet tooth for you, I guess. Actually, I do have to give some credit to Ina Garten. I'm sure you guys know her better as the Barefoot Contessa. (Where are all my Food Network fans??) A few weeks ago I watched her make a Maple Pecan Rice Pudding, and I think this recipe is permanently ingrained in my head. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I did find her recipe, and sorry to say, I barely had any of the ingredients needed. Who has an extra bottle of Maker's Mark laying around? Not me. Anyways, I stumbled across the recipe again online the other day, (ok, it was on Pinterest) and I decided I wanted to make it. I found a different recipe for coconut maple rice pudding, and it sounded delicious, but I really liked Ina's technique. So here you have it. This creation is the two recipes blended together with a bit of my own twist. Here is Ina's recipe and here is the random recipe from which my creation emerged. Below is exactly how I made my rice pudding.

The Delicious Bite Coconut Maple Rice Pudding
3/4 cup of Basmati rice
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups half & half, plus another 1/2 cup set aside
1 can of light coconut milk (this has about 1 cup in it)
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla 
1/2 tsp caramel extract (optional)
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used slightly less)
1/4 tsp salt

Combine the rice, water, and salt into a pot, and bring to a boil. Lower the boiling water down to a simmer, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Most of the water will be absorbed. Stir the half & half (3 cups), the coconut milk, the sugar, and unsweetened coconut into the rice. Bring to a boil for 30 minutes. Stir frequently so it doesn't burn. (Watch it because it may boil over! I was dangerously close! Just use a big pot.) :-) The mixture will thicken considerably. At the end, stir in your lightly beaten egg and let it cook for another minute. Remove the pudding from the heat.

Here's where I sort of went my own way according to my tastes. I added the vanilla, caramel extract, and maple syrup. (If you don't have real maple syrup, just use whatever kind of syrup you have. My one suggestion is to add a little and then taste it. Certain syrups can be very sweet, and you don't want to overpower anything else in your pudding. Let's be honest, would you really have any problem sneaking a taste? I didn't.) At this point your pudding is ready to be transferred into a bowl and chilled. Follow Ina's directions and put a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the pudding so a skin doesn't form. Place it in the refrigerator to cool. Don't ask me how long you should cool it for because clearly I didn't wait. I have no patience. :-) I gave it a good 20 minutes and then served myself. It was still pretty warm and it was insanely tasty!! I don't regret my decision at all. haha. I sprinkled some cinnamon on the top, and it was heaven in a bowl. I suggest you do the same. Enjoy every delicious bite. :-)