Coconut Rice Pudding with Raspberries

Rice pudding was always my father's favorite dessert. He liked it with raisins and always mixed soft butter with brown sugar and cinnamon and loaded it on top of his pudding....letting it melt all through. I know, calories, calories. But he lived to his mid 90's and weighed himself every morning of his life. 

                                                                                      Dad and I, Ft. Lauderdale, 1954

So while I wanted to make rice pudding in his honor for Father's Day, I decided not to use my mother's recipe but make a more contemporary version with fresh raspberries and coconut. 
No, I have no plans on adding brown sugar and butter to this! :)

Happy Father's Day to all the great dads out there. I sure miss mine!


Coconut Rice Pudding with Raspberries
Martha Stewart Living, June 2013 issue

Ingredients for the rice:
1/2 cup short grain rice, washed well
3/4 cup water

Ingredients for the puddings:
3 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scrapped
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 pint ripe or overripe raspberries
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted, for garnish

Method for cooking rice:
Place rice and water in a small pot with tight lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat but keep lid on. Let rice steam for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Cool.

Method for Pudding:
Preheat oven to 325 and bring a kettle of water to boil. Whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Add coconut, half and half, coconut milk and cooked and cooled rice. Divide mixture among ramekins in a roasting pan. Pour hot water to reach half way up the sides. Bake 20 minutes, then stir to distribute rice evenly. Divide raspberries among the puddings. Bake until puddings are set and barely wobbley. 18 to 20 minutes more. Cool a little, and garnish with coconut flakes.