Baked Rice Custard

I struggled a bit with the title of this post. I found a recipe and altered it a few ways so that now it doesn't really resemble the original very much. If you ask my husband, he might say I do that more often than not! :) The original recipe used sugar, regular rice, rum and was more ricey than custardy. But I think this is a really nice creamy, and not so sweet version. And somehow, even though there's no chocolate involved, it was a bit chocolatey without being overly so, for those looking for something a little different. I hope you like it as much as I do.

A note about the molasses: You're welcome to use regular molasses, but that's not a whole lot better for you than refined sugar. So I'd highly recommend you use blackstrap molasses, which you can find in most grocery stores, or even Amazon

Ingredients:
1 cup blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup  Arborio rice
6 large eggs
1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur like kahlua
Zest of 1 lemon or orange
salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups warmed milk (I used Almond Milk, but you can use cow's milk if you prefer)

Step 1. Butter a 9 or 10 inch pan or pie dish

Step 2. Cook the rice in boiling water, as you would pasta. Remove and drain after about 10 minutes

Rice should be al dente, or it will get soggy in the baking step

Step 3. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, molasses, zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt .

 Step 4. Slightly warm the milk and liqueur.

Step 5. Add the warmed milk and the rice to the bowl.

Step 6. Pour the custard into the prepared pan. The rice will settle at the bottom.

Step 7. Bake at 350° F for about 50 to 60 minutes

The top should be firm, not liquid, and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean

Step 8. Remove and let cool in the pan. I prefered it served cold, but you can serve at room temperature if you prefer. Store any leftovers in the fridge and use within a couple days.

Enjoy!