Creamy Stovetop Rice Pudding

Mine is a mixed marriage.  I am a warm oven-baked rice pudding fan, like the kind served at Jewish dairy restaurants of my youth.  theHubby is a cold stovetop rice pudding fan, like the kind sold in those little 4-packs at the supermarket.

Can this marriage be saved?

Yes ... because I can tolerate cold rice pudding.  And get to keep the oven-baked kind all to myself. :D

Being homemade, this cold rice pudding is way better than that store-bought stuff.  And doesn't take that much more time, if you factor in the drive to and from the supermarket, shopping for other things that jump in the cart as you push it down the aisle, chatting with the twelve people you run into there, then getting on line behind that person who waits until she is completely checked out while accosting the cashier over every single item she thinks she was overcharged on before finally searching for her credit card wallet at the bottom of her Mary Poppins bag.

Some Dear Readers might be scratching their heads over 5/8 cup of sugar.   To me, 3/4 cup makes the pudding a little too sweet, while 1/2 is pasty ... 5/8 cup is silky-sweet perfect.

Creamy Stovetop Rice Pudding
Yield: 6 servings

5/8 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbl. unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk, whole or low-fat
1/2 cup water
1 cup cooked rice, cold or at room temperature
1 whole egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
ground cinnamon (for garnish)
whipped cream (for garnish)

Whisk together sugar, flour and salt in a 1-1/2 or 2-quart sauce pan.  Slowly pour in milk and water, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.  Place over medium heat; stir constantly (to prevent scorching) until mixture comes to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low; allow to simmer for 2 minutes (to cook out the floury taste), stirring frequently. Add rice; return mixture to a simmer; continue to simmer for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Drizzle a half cup of the rice mixture into beaten egg, stirring constantly (this is called tempering the eggs: gently heating to prevent it from curdling during the next step). Whisk the now-tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan; continuing to stir frequently for 2 more minutes in order to completely cook the egg. The pudding will not seem firm enough, but don't be tempted to cook it longer; it will thicken up as it cools.

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a covered container.  Refrigerate until completely chilled before serving.

Spoon into 6 small dessert bowls. Garnish with a little ground cinnamon and/or whipped cream, if desired, just before serving.