Last week, while I was at the mall, what sounded like a Christmas number came on in between two Kenny G tracks, and my heart did a little somersault. IT’S OFFICIALLY THAT TIME OF THE YEAR!!!!

I’ve listened to Buble’s Christmas album once since, and also downloaded John Legend’s new album, Legendary Christmas — I am excited to listen to it on loop and drive everyone around me nuts.

I know I say this about thrice a year, but this is definitely my favourite time of the year. Zoella’s vlogmas starts in less than a month, and if Bangalore weather can get its sh*t together, we’ll bring out the sweaters, and bring on the mint flavoured everything very soon.

However, right now I’m in Kannur, and wiping off sweat from my forehead as I type this, so all that seems a bit far away. But a couple of days ago, mum and I made rice pudding, and that’s as holiday-like as it’s going to get around here until the rest of the family comes down.

Rice pudding is one of those things that I had no opinion on for most of my life, but when I was in college, one visit to Rice to Riches, a space-agey rice pudding parlour in NYC, changed all that. I had the classic flavour, with a graham cracker topping and it blew my mind. I was telling mum about it recently, and we decided to make our version of it. Mum makes the pudding in the rice cooker which gives it a richness that is unbelievable (or believable, if you know how a rice cooker works hehe). You can also achieve the same creaminess in a pressure cooker, but remember to keep the flame on low, and use a big enough cooker (we recommend a 6 litre one for the quantity mentioned below). The topping is butterscotchy and delicious with just a hint of heat from the cinnamon. And although the rice pudding is delicious on its own, the topping makes it holiday-ready.

Update: When I was googling how to spell Buble, I found that he is releasing a new album on the 16th!!!

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with a Biscuit Topping

Ingredients

To make the rice pudding

1/4th cup short-grained rice (we use jeera shala)
4 cups (1 litre) full fat milk
3/4th cup condensed milk

To make the biscuit crumb topping (barely adapted from all recipes)

3 digestive biscuits (we used nutri choice)
1/4th cup brown sugar
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp white sugar
1/8th tsp powdered cinnamon

Method

To make the rice pudding

In a slow cooker

Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on slow. Serve warm or chilled.

In a pressure cooker

In a 6 litre pressure cooker, add all ingredients to pressure cooker, and on low heat, cook for 1 hour. Serve warm or chilled.

To make the biscuit crumb topping

Crush the biscuits, and add the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Stir to incorporate.

Press this mixture into a greased baking dish (the smallest one you own) and sprinkle the white sugar on it.

Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 6-8 minutes.

When slightly cook, remove from the baking dish and crumble.

The topping can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.