Cinnamon Rice Pudding with Dried-Cherry Sauce

Aromatic jasmine rice cooks to a moist texture, which makes for perfect rice pudding. Use a pan with a heavy bottom to prevent scorching.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup pudding and about 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients

• Pudding:
• 6  cups  water
• 1 1/2  cups  uncooked jasmine rice
• 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1  (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 3  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/2  teaspoon  almond extract
• 
  Sauce:
• 1  cup  dried tart cherries
• 1 1/2  cups  water
• 2  tablespoons  sugar
• 1  tablespoon  water
• 1  teaspoon  cornstarch
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/4  teaspoon  almond extract

Preparation

To prepare pudding, combine first 4 ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Drain.

Return rice and cinnamon stick to pan; stir in milk, 1/2 cup sugar, and ground cinnamon. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 30 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Discard cinnamon stick. Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

To prepare sauce, combine cherries and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar; cook 5 minutes. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch. Add to cherry mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Serve pudding with sauce.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

290 (7% from fat)

Fat:

2.1g (sat 1.1g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.1g)

Protein:

6.2g

Carbohydrate:

61.4g

Fiber:

1.2g

Cholesterol:

7mg

Iron:

1.1mg

Sodium:

126mg

Calcium:

127mg