Rice pudding is one of life’s simple pleasures! This dessert is creamy, light-flavored and tasty. So rich, I know your family will love as much as mine does!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 3 big juicy mandarins (juice)
• 1 mandarin
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• Mandarin chips or candied fruit for serving

For chocolate cream:

• 1 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1/2 cup 20% heavy cream
• 60 g dark chocolate
• 5 hazelnuts
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder

Preparation

1. Pour rice with warm water and put aside for 1 hour. Strain the rice through a fine mesh sieve.
2. Pour milk into a saucepan with a thick bottom, add rice and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes.
3. In a separate saucepan, boil mandarin juice until 1/2 liquid is evaporated.
4. Add sugar and mandarin juice to rice. Stir and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, add cardamom, mix. Cool to room temperature.
5. Peel mandarin and break into slices. Mix with rice.
6. For chocolate cream, fry hazelnuts in a dry frying pan for 5 minutes. Transfer nuts to a towel and rub to remove the husk. Chop the nuts.
7. Combine milk and heavy cream in a saucepan with a thick bottom, bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and continue cooking, stirring constantly. Evaporate 1/3 part of the mixture.
8. Remove from heat and immediately add chopped chocolate, hazelnuts and cocoa. Stir until smooth and cool slightly.
9. Spread rice pudding in 3/4 martini glasses. Pour warm chocolate cream over the top and decorate with chips or candied fruits. Serve.