not so 'tubby' custard

So after my love's return home, yesterday was filled with smooches, long talks about the wonders of New York City and dreaming of living in other far away places {hello barge living on The Seine}.  With a cup of warm tea on a chilly day and a tummy full of an old family favorite, Tubby Custard was the sweetest way to welcome him home. This family recipe is actually guilt free if you make it with brown rice and skim milk but feel free to experiment with your naughty side too! Full fat, white rice and sugar is a delicious no brainer, but if you can make it healthier, why not I say! It's also a fabulous way to make use of all that left over rice that comes with your chinese delivery...

6 ramekins
2 tablespoons of brown or white rice
1 2/3 cup of milk of your choice
2 tablespoons of non fat milk powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract {no imitation vanilla, stick to the good stuff}
Sweetener of your choice {brown sugar, honey, splenda etc} I use about 3 tablespoons of agave nectar
maple syrup {optional}

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Make a water bath so that water is approximately 1/2 way up the side of your ramekins.  Spoon rice of your choice into the bottom and set aside. In a jug with a pouring spout combine the rest of  your ingredients except for the eggs. This being so that you can adjust the sweetness of this dish according to your own taste. Just continue to whisk and add as much agave {or other sweet alternative}, tasting after each addition until you've reached your desired level of sweetness. Whisk eggs thoroughly into mixture.

Add custard mixture to your rice and stir each ramekin so that the rice and milk mixture are evenly distributed throughout. To add a little something extra, I drizzle a small amount of maple syrup across the top. It's give a hint of smokey sweetness to the custard.

Bake for around 35 minutes until the custard is set.

These little treats are perfect warmed up for breakfast or for an afternoon pick me up. Personally, I can't think of a better way to start the day!

Enjoy!

xo tash