Ingredients

• 150ml/5fl oz Marsala wine
• 1 tbsp brandy
• 1 orange
• freshly squeezed juice only
• 25g/1oz golden caster sugar
• 150g/5½oz no-soak dried prunes
• 1 orange
• finely grated zest only
• 150g/5½oz pudding rice
• 1.5 litres/2½ pints full-fat milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ whole nutmeg
• 50g/1¾oz golden caster sugar
• 25g/1oz cut mixed peel
• 20g/¾oz flaked almonds
• pinch flaked sea salt
• double cream
• for pouring
• to serve

Directions

• To prepare the prunes
• gently heat the Marsala
• brandy
• orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan
• stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the prunes and orange zest and bring to a gentle simmer.
• Cook for five minutes
• or until the liquid has reduced by half
• stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave to stand while you prepare the rice. (The compôte can also be made ahead and chilled.)
• To make the rice pudding
• put the rice
• 1 litre/1¾ pints of the milk and the cinnamon stick in a large non-stick saucepan and finely grate the nutmeg over the top. Stir lightly and bring to a very gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes
• stirring very regularly until the rice is looking thick and creamy.
• Stir in the sugar
• remaining milk and mixed peel. Return to a gentle simmer and cook for a further 35-40 minutes
• or until the rice is very tender and creamy. Stir well towards the end of the cooking time as the rice thickens. Taste a little of the rice and if it is still a little hard or chalky in the middle
• continue cooking for 5-10 minutes more
• adding a little more milk or water if necessary.
• While the rice is cooking
• shake the almonds into a small frying pan and fry-fry over a low heat for 3-4 minutes
• turning occasionally until lightly browned. Stir a pinch of flaked sea salt into the rice pudding.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and pour the rice pudding into a warmed serving dish. Spoon the prunes and their syrup into the centre of the pudding and scatter the toasted almonds on top. Serve with extra double cream for pouring.