Deeply Delicious German Rice Pudding (Milchreis) with Cherry Compote

Think German Rice Pudding (Milchreis) with Cherry Compote and think soul food, think comfort, think deliciousness, think satiety. That’s the magic of a good rice pudding and every culture has its own delicious, soul satisfying version. I’ve been stirring an Indian rice pudding for decades, both a kheer and a phirini and it’s often the best thing ever, the most comforting, the simplest familiar way to dessert, a nostalgic feeling!

A quintessential Indian rice pudding like any other uses a handful of ingredients – rice or rice powder, a sweetener and milk. That’s basic. Then I like to step in to upgrade it, make it a little luxurious, sprinkle in some flavour and that is, in my humble opinion, what owns the pudding, talks of its origin. My Zafrani Phirini or Saffron Rice Pudding has soaked, ground rice with saffron and chopped almonds and pistachios that are simmered with the milk as it cooks. It’s a constant reinvention – sometimes no sugar, just condensed milk and milk, definitely a pour of single cream. At other times, no dairy. I use coconut milk and water, sometimes coconut cream, maybe jaggery to sweeten.

The choice of plating is an exercise in itself, always a matter of choice, and of as much interest to me as the taste. The thought process begins as I am stirring the pot. An Indian rice pudding is often served in terracotta or clay pots and it gets an earthy flavour from the same. These are semi porous terracotta pots, non glazed and native to the subcontinent. You will find different shapes of terracotta pots or kulhads across the length and breadth of the country, serving just about anything from chai, to street food like kachori sabzi to jalebi, and kheer of course! Over the years I have collected many different little clay pots as I have traveled across India and I carefully carry them home, hoard them like crystal!! It is fascinating to see how creatively and ingeniously you can use a small clay pot! They’re a great choice for Indian inspired desserts.

While I almost always like to set the Indian rice pudding in terracotta pots, the German Rice Pudding | Milchreis with fresh cherry compote was set in stem glasses. I love how using these pretty glasses completely upgraded the look and feel of the pudding, making the dessert taste special, almost luxurious. Layering the top with a cherry compote added a nice pop of colour, quite a perfect way to celebrate summer.

The glassware of course from a brand that I have used for decades, Devnow, who have the best possible line up of quite the most stunning serveware. I speak of them often since I use their products to serve dessert almost always like in the Mixed Berry Verrines I made very recently.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s my belief that plating makes a huge difference to how dessert tastes since we eat with our eyes first, so I like to choose wisely. That process therapeutically begins as I begin making dessert. I love the way the mind wanders virtually looking through cupboards and shelves, exploring what I have on hand, tugging and toying with different options.

Strangely enough, this was the first time I used this particular tall stemware for dessert. I always thought these might not showcase the dessert well because of the ribbed design and how wrong I was. I absolutely love how beautifully the pudding set in them, how pretty the grains of rice looked through the sides with notes of vanilla bean, how the compote shone on top, how the gold rim brought everything together.

This version, the German Rice Pudding or Milchreis as they call it was inspired by a Muller Rice Pudding that the better half sent from the UK, insisting that sometimes I must eat something sweet that I haven’t made myself. He sent a ton of different stuff yet the pudding remained in my mind. It was gentle, had delicate notes and came in several flavours – vanilla, apple, raspberry etc. I had almost forgotten how comforting a simple rice pudding could be. While this store bought version was extremely light and barely sweet, an almost breakfast pudding, it got me to stirring a rice pudding pretty soon.

Emotionally, a pudding symbolizes comfort, warmth, nostalgia. Because of its soft, creamy, and sweet nature, reaching for pudding often reflects a craving for emotional security, a reward for hard work, or a desire to reconnect with the simple joys of childhood . And the German Rice Pudding or Milchreis was the best pudding ever! Creamy, rich, gentle, delicate, comfort in every bite. That’s just how a good pudding should be! Play with ingredients, make it your own!

What is a rice pudding?

A rice pudding basically is made of 3 core ingredients – rice of course, milk and sugar. Short or medium grain rice, milk, coconut milk or a combination of milk and water and a sweetener of choice. It’s slowly simmered until the rice cooks down to a soft, creamy texture that’s often achieved by constant stirring, almost like you would stir a risotto, yet everything is added to the pot together.

What flavours can you add to a rice pudding?

Then come the flavouring and that’s the fun part. While a basic milk, rice, sweetener pudding is very delicious, you can take it to new levels with simple inclusions. Go traditional as in the west with cinnamon powder, or as we like with a vanilla bean shell and vanilla extract, a Moroccan almond extract. There are versions with add-ins like grated apple or pear, raspberries, even cherries etc. The Indian version I like to make is delicately flavoured with saffron and includes finely chopped nuts that are added with the rice. They soften and plump up beautifully to add interesting texture and a lovely bite. A trip around the world and you’ll find a million ideas to a tasty rice pudding!

Different cultures have different puddings, each more delicious than the other!

While the Indian Kheer or Phirini has always been my go to, this German Milchreis is my all new favourite. Then there is the Spanish Arroz con Leche with cinnamon finished with orange zest, also the Sticky Rice Mango pudding or Khao Niao Mamuang from Thailand which is a tropical glutinous rice pudding drenched in coconut milk served with slices of ripe mango. Iranian Sholezard is made with saffron and rose water while the Iraqi Zarda wa haleeb is made with date syrup. Egyptian Rozz bi-laban is made with rice flour, milk, sugar and vanilla and is served with various toppings. Turkish Fırın Sütlaç is made with rice flour, milk and sugar baked in individual ceramic bowls, broiled to get a caramalised crust, while the Lebanese version is Riz bi haleeb. The Danish Risalamande is traditionally served over Christmas and is made rich with added whipped cream, chopped almonds and vanilla folded into the chilled rice pudding, served with a warm cherry sauce.  In Norway, the dessert is called Riskrem, while the French have the Riz au Lait. Tsamporado from the Philippines is a distinctly savory-sweet chocolate rice pudding made with sticky rice and is often served at breakfast. Arroz Zambito from Peru is a rich, dark pudding sweetened with unrefined cane sugar topped with coconut, aniseed, pecans and raisins. Tunisia has the Mhalbiya accentuated with orange blossom water or rose water.

These are just some of the many variations of rice puddings from around the world, each a significant part of the culture, each promising comfort and happiness! India alone boasts of so many variations – Dudhapak from Gujarat, Paayesh from Bengal, Pongal and Payasam from South India, Phirni and Kheer from the North.