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Parliament Pudding

Recipe

Parliament pudding" refers to two different desserts:  an historical British dish featuring breadcrumbs, orange, and eggs, and a rice pudding recipe using "Parliament rice". The breadcrumb version was a steamed pudding possibly a type of baked custard or trifle from the 19th and early 20th centuries, while the Parliament rice pudding is a modern, creamy rice-based dessert, similar to rice pudding. 

The Historical Parliament Pudding

Note the exact ingredients will vary depending on the size of your mould.  This is based on a 1 lb loaf tin.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 cup of fine breadcrumbs
  • 200ml milk
  • Juice and grated rind of ½ orange
  • 2 egg whites
  • 12 macaroons
  • Stale sponge cake
  • 2 tbsp orange marmalade

Method

  • Soak the breadcrumbs in milk
  • Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy
  • Add the beaten yolks, breadcrumbs and the juice and the grated orange rind
  • Stir this until very smooth,
  • then add the stiffly beaten whites of 2 eggs.
  • Spread slices of sponge cake with the marmalade
  • Thickly buttered your mould or loaf tin and dust with dry breadcrumbs,
  • Line with macaroons which have been moistened with orange juice;
  • Put in a layer of the batter, then a layer of the marmalade sponge cake and alternate the layers until the mould is full, having batter at the top.
  • Cover and steam for three-quarters of an hour, unmould carefully and serve with hard sauce.  Aka Brandy Butter

The Modern Parliament Rice Pudding

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Parliament rice or short-grain rice
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
  • Ground nutmeg for garnish (optional)
  • Cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)

Method

  • In a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the rice, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. If you're using raisins, add them as well.
  • Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil while stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer. Stir occasionally and let the rice cook for about 30-40 minutes, or until it's tender and the pudding has thickened to your desired consistency.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the rice pudding cool slightly. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
  • If you'd like to add a garnish, sprinkle a pinch of ground nutmeg on top and place a cinnamon stick in the centre of the pudding.
  • Serve the creamy rice pudding warm or chilled, depending on your preference. It can be enjoyed plain or with a drizzle of caramel sauce or a sprinkle of extra cinnamon.