Rice pudding with tea-soaked dates and mandarins

Directions

1. To make rice pudding, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add rice, stir to coat, then add zest and 375ml (1 1/2 cups) milk. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until most of milk is absorbed. Meanwhile, place remaining 875ml (3 1/2 cups) milk in a saucepan and bring almost to the boil over low–medium heat. Once rice has absorbed milk, add hot milk with vanilla and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 10 minutes or until rice is tender. 2. Meanwhile, to make tea-soaked dates, halve and pit dates, then place in a heatproof bowl with tea bag. Pour over 250ml (1 cup) boiling water and leave to steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bag. Strain liquid into a saucepan. Grate zest and squeeze over juice of 1 mandarin. Add sugar and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or until syrup thickens. Segment remaining 2 mandarins and remove pits. Add to syrup with dates and turn to coat, then set aside. 3. Whisk sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until combined. Add a ladle of rice mixture, stir to combine, then stir egg mixture into rice mixture. Stir for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not allow to boil. 4. Spoon rice pudding among bowls, then top with tea-soaked dates and mandarins, and a little syrup. Grate over nutmeg and serve with sweet biscuits.

Recipe by Sophia Young.