My grandmother would make this rice pudding for me and my twin sister often for lunch. She would make it with “tvaroh” (sweet cheese similar to farmer’s or cottage cheese but without curd) and fresh apricots. I wanted to make a Thanksgiving version with pumpkin filling and spices. I am very pleased with how it turned out! It tastes good warm or cold, for brunch or dessert.
Pumpkin rice pudding
This is a Thanksgiving version of my grandmother’s rice pudding. It tastes good warm or cold, for brunch or dessert.
Ingredients
- 150 g white rice
- 750 ml milk
- 1/2 lemon zested
- Pinch of salt
- 2 eggs separated
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 50 g butter melted, reserve 2 tbsp
- 4 tbsp pumpkin butter I like the one from Trader Joe’s
- Toasted pecans or pumpkin seeds for topping I like Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seeds
Filling:
- 125 g tvaroh available in Polish stores or farmer’s cheese
- 1/2 c pumpkin
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 vanillin sugar or 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 heaping tbsp dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook the rinsed rice with milk, lemon zest and salt into a porridge. Let it cool. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Mix in the egg yolks, sugar and butter. Fold in the egg whites.
- Make the filling by mixing all the ingredients.
- Butter a baking dish. Pour in half of the rice porridge. Dot it with the pumpkin butter. Spread the pumpkin cheese filling on top and cover with the remaining rice.
- Pour the 2 tablespoons of butter over the top and bake for 45 minutes. Garnish with toasted pecans or pumpkin seeds if you like.