Rice Pudding, Raspberries and Speculaas

The next few recipes are from the cookbook, Verrines. A verrine is an entrée or a dessert composed with layers of food of different texture, flavour and colour.

Speculaas is a type of shortcrust biscuit. Here's a recipe.

Rice Pudding
250 ml/1 cup milk
150 ml/5 fl oz pouring cream
60g or 1/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar
90g (3-1/2 oz) short-grain rice
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways

2 small gelatine leaves
250g (2 cups) raspberries
60g or 1/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar
6 speculaas (spice) biscuits

To make the rice pudding, heat the milk, cream and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Rinse the rice in cold water and add to the milk mixture along with the vanilla bean just before it comes to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice is tender. Allow to cool. Remove the vanilla bean then refrigerate the pudding for at least 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft, then squeeze out the excess water. Place the raspberries, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan. Warm slightly over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then add the gelatine and stir until it dissolves. Cool, then refrigerate until cold.

Crush the speculaas biscuits in a food processor or with a rolling pin until they resemble fine breadcrumbs.

To assemble the verrines, arrange a layer of rice pudding in each glass, then a layer of raspberries, and finish with the crushed speculaas.

Makes 6-8 large glasses.