Rice pudding is back on the menu in London restaurants

We know. The stuff your primary school passed off as rice pudding was enough to put you off for life. But trust us, you'd be mad not to give these puds a chance
Just what the doctor ordered: Iberica's caramelised rice pudding
Kate Lough2 February 2015

I was one of those people. One of those poor misguided people who thought rice pudding was rank. Of course, I'd been scarred by the offering of my primary school — lukewarm, curdled and lumpy with a horrible skin lurking on top.

Then, when my impeccable manners forced me to take a mouthful of a rice pudding cooked by a boyfriend's mother, I was turned. To the point where I had seconds, and then thirds.

Oh, rice pudding, how wonderful you are, especially in the freeze-your-nuts-off winter weather. You're sweet, thick, creamy and warming — and glutinous in all the right ways. And now, many London restaurants are putting their own spin on your classic features.

After a long boozy weekend brunch, you have to try the warm apple and pear rice pudding at Berners Tavern (bernerstavern.com). It comes in a little cast iron boat with a dollop of very moreish cinnamon crumble ice cream to accompany, all for £8.50.

Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Gymkhana's (gymkhanalondon.com) pudding menu includes kheer, which is a kind of rice pudding, in different flavour combinations. At present you'll find a fruity mango kheer at £7. While you're there, it would be rude not to order the kid goat methi — one of our top 20 London dishes.

Twist on the classic: Gymkhana's mango kheer

Iberica

(ibericarestaurants.com), which as three branches in London, does its own Spanish version with a caramelised riced pudding (£4) that you could mistake for a creme brulee with its sugar roof, blowtorched to perfection. (See the recipe here)

A Sunday roast at the Smokehouse (smokehouseislington.co.uk) — go for the slow-cooked lamb shoulder — wouldn't be complete wtihout a bowl of runny rum and raisin rice pudding festooned with blueberry jam and almonds (£6.50).

For something a little bit Heston, order the goat's milk rice pudding at Pollen Street Social's Dessert Bar (pollentstreetsocial.com), which comes with goat's milk ice cream, an oat and milk crumb and honeycomb. It will set you back £10.50.

Go on, I triple dare you to face your fear and try it.

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