Mouth-watering pudding

Delicious, simple yet rich and satisfying, chocolate and coconut rice pudding is bound to become one of your family’s favourite desserts once you try it. This recipe has been enriched with raisins, sultanas and roasted nuts to give the dish extra flavour and crunch.

Ingredients (makes 4)

One ½ litre mug rice 5 tbsp cocoa powder
1¼ litres milk 4-5 tbsp Sugar, or to taste
½ cup (8 tbsp) desiccated coconut 100g roasted ground nuts
200g mixed fruits (raisins & sultanas)

Method

1. Put the desiccated coconut in a frying pan and dry roast it until golden. Remove from the heat and put aside.

2. Remove the skins from the roasted nuts, crush roughly and put aside.

3. Put the rice into a sieve and rinse it under running water until the water runs clear. Drain and put it in a heavy-base saucepan.

4. Sieve the cocoa powder to remove any lumps. Warm about ¼ litre of milk and whisk in the cocoa powder, mixing well to ensure that it is properly dissolved.

5. In a large jug, mix the rest of the milk with the cocoa mixture and sweeten with sugar to your taste.

6. Pour the milk mixture over the rice and bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring. Reduce the heat to low and cook covered, for about half an hour, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, to prevent burning, until the rice is cooked.

7. Remove from the heat and mix in half of the fruits, nuts and roasted coconut. Sprinkle the other half on top. Serve warm and enjoy!