Cardamom Pear Rice Custard
Creamy rice custard, ripe pear, and cardamom make a softly spiced dessert with a golden oven finish.
Prep: 10 · Cook: 25 · Total: 35 · Serves: 6 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.8/5 (104 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Inspired by rice pudding, baked custards, and the floral warmth of cardamom. The pear topping and sliceable finish are original to this recipe.
Story
Theo calls this the dessert for the last open booth at the end of a long drive. It has the comfort of rice pudding, but the pears and cardamom give it enough perfume to feel like a real finish. Serve it warm, pass the pistachios, and let the table go quiet for a minute.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white rice, cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-inch baking dish.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and cardamom in a large bowl until smooth.
- Fold in the cooked rice, then pour the custard into the prepared dish.
- Toss the pear slices with lemon juice and arrange them over the rice mixture.
- Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and bake for 25 minutes until the center is just set and the top is golden.
- Cool for 10 minutes, scatter with pistachios, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Chef Tips
- Use rice that is fully cooled so the custard stays silky instead of scrambling around the edges.
- Choose pears that yield slightly when pressed but are not soft or bruised.
- For a stronger spice note, add a tiny pinch of ground cinnamon with the cardamom.
- Refrigerate leftovers and warm individual portions gently in the microwave.
Cook's Notes
- Do not overbake, the center should still have a gentle wobble.
- Arrange the pears in a single layer so they brown instead of steaming.
- Let the custard rest before slicing for cleaner portions.