Chocolate and Vanilla Rice Pudding

Picture this: half a dozen hungry kids are about to come over, and all you've got is rice, cream, a half-eaten chocolate bar, and a box of sultanas leftover from yesterday's school lunchbox. If you've also got a rice cooker, this recipe should solve your problem. Makes about 3 cups of vanilla and 3 cups chocolate rice pudding.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups short-grain rice (eg arborio)
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 300mL cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 box sultanas
• 20g dark chocolate (one line from a 100g block of Cocolo. Don't ask me where the rest went.)
• vanilla essence
• nutmeg

Method:

Chuck the rice and water in the rice cooker and set to Cook. Come back in 15 mins, or when it has switched to Warm. Take out half the cooked rice and set aside in a bowl.

Put half the sugar and half the cream in the rice cooker with the remaining rice. Add the box of sultanas, a dash of vanilla essence and a sprinkling of nutmeg, and stir while the rice cooker is still set to Warm. If it seems too thick, add a little milk to thin it out. When it has thickened, spoon into bowls.

Put the other half of the cooked rice back in the rice cooker, which should still be on Warm. Add the remaining sugar and cream, and the chocolate (broken into small pieces). If it is too thick, add a splash of milk. Stir to mix it together. When the chocolate has melted and it has thickened, spoon into bowls.

Cut the stodge factor by throwing a few berries or some diced pear on top of the rice pudding.