Today marks the final instalment from Mario Karam of Mario's Kitchen - we'll be sad to see him go!  Mario is leaving us with another Karam family classic - his Mum's popular Rose and Almond Rice Pudding.  With its delicate, floral flavour and silky consistency, this sweet treat is the perfect sweet comforting dish, served after a meal or simply by itself.  Massive thanks to Mario and his partner Liz for sharing their family recipes with us this month!  - Lucy

Rose and Almond Rice Pudding by Mario Karam of Mario's Kitchen. Styling - Stefanie Ingram. Photo - Luisa Brimble for The Design Files.

Picture this – a summer evening under the vine leaves of our backyard, a luscious dessert wine, close friends and family gathered around a weathered table, and the most scrumptious dessert you can imagine. Ah!  The famous rose and almond rice pudding. A Karam classic.

Dad would beg Mum to make this. It was his favourite. In fact, all the Karam boys loved this one, and it didn’t really feel like summer without it.

This dessert is one of the first recipes mum taught me, and I think I was about fourteen when I finally mastered it. I can’t describe the triumph I felt when I first served my very own rose and almond rice pudding to the family.

Since then, nothing much has changed in the making of this dessert – why should it? You can’t improve on perfection.

It has a delicate, floral flavour, is creamy and rich and not too sweet, and has a silky consistency that melts in the mouth. The lightly roasted almonds and dusting of icing sugar add the perfect crispy texture to balance the smoothness of the rice.

The ingredients for the Rose and Almond Rice Pudding. Styling - Stefanie Ingram. Photo - Luisa Brimble for The Design Files.

INGREDIENTS

200g of jasmine rice
400ml of water
600ml of milk
150g of caster sugar
2 x teaspoon of rosewater
Flaked almonds
Icing sugar

METHOD

Wash and drain the jasmine rice, pour it in a saucepan with the water, then cook on a medium heat. Stir until the water is absorbed, then add the milk and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to low and stir occasionally until thick and the rice is tender.

Mix the caster sugar into the rice and cook, stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the rosewater, stirring through.

Pour the rice pudding mixture into small bowls and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set.

Heat a pan on medium heat and add the flaked almonds, and toast until golden. Be careful as they can burn very fast!

To serve, top the pudding with flaked almonds and sift the icing sugar on top.

Then try to look modest!

HUGE THANKS Mario and Liz of Mario's Kitchen for sharing their family recipes with us this month, and to Luisa Brimble and Stefanie Ingram for the gorgeous shots!  For more foodie inspiration from Mario and a peek at some of the incredible events he caters, be sure to check out the Mario's Kitchen Instagram account!

Mario showing us how it's done! Styling - Stefanie Ingram. Photo - Luisa Brimble for The Design Files.