The Food of Downton Abbey: Queen Victoria Rice Pudding

This is not your typical rice pudding. This is rich, elegant and created with royalty in mind. Whereas as the poor and downtrodden would dessert with a rice pudding, theirs was not laden with heavy cream, fresh exotic spices and sprinkled throughout with lavish ruby-like little gems known as red currants.

This rice pudding was created for Queen Victoria and since the time it was first served within the walls of her palaces, it has become a staple for elegant dinner parties thrown by aristocrats.

To serve this as they would at Downton Abbey, you will want little pitchers of cream alongside each serving and small bowls of honey because at the Abbey, the richer and sweeter the dessert, the happier the Earl and Countess of Grantham will be!

Ingredients needed to make Queen Victoria Rice Pudding (serves 4):

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 Tbs. ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbs. butter
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 Tbs. vanilla
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup red currant jelly

Steps:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium saucepan bring the 4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the rice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes.
3. Remove the rice from the heat and let sit 10 minutes (with the cover still on).
4. In a medium bowl whisk together the butter, eggs, vanilla, sugar, whipping cream and red currant jelly until smooth.
5. Spoon the rice into an 8-inch baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over the rice and stir to combine.
6. Place in the oven and bake 35 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.