Rice Pudding with Meadowsweet and Compote of Wild Cherries

Ingredients:

For the compote of cherries:
juice of 1 lemon
grated zest of 1 orange
500ml red wine
1 meadowsweet head
3 cherry kernels, crushed
100g caster sugar
300g cherries, stoned
100g wild cherries, stoned

For the rice pudding:
75g risotto rice
350ml milk
150ml double cream
3 meadowsweet heads
pared zest of 1/2 orange, in wide strips
50g caster sugar, plus extra for glazing
freshly-grated nutmeg
1 1/2 gelatine laves
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

For the pastry cream:
100ml milk
75ml double cream
40g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
5g corn flour

Method

The night before prepare the cherry compote. Add all the ingredients (except the cherries) to a pan, bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 4 minutes then add the cherries and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the cherries with a slotted spoon and set aside. Bring the cooking juices to a boil and reduce the volume by half. Strain the resultant juice onto the cherries and leave to macerate over night.

The following day place the rice, milk, half the double cream, orange zest, caster sugar meadowsweet heads and nutmeg to a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is soft and the mixture has turned thick and creamy. Take the rice off the heat.

Meanwhile, immerse the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water and add the gelatine to the hot rice, stirring constantly until it's dissolved. Remove the meadowsweet heads and allow to cool.

While the rice pudding is cooking add the milk and cream to a pan and bring to a boil. Place the sugar, egg yolk and cornflour to a bowl and whisk until combined. Pour the milk and cream mixture into this and whisk continually until combined. Pour the resultant mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat until the mixture thickens. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

When the rice pudding and the pastry cream have cooled mix them together then place in the fridge for about 90 minutes, or until nearly set. Meanwhile whip the remaining cream with the Grand Marnier until it forms thick ribbons. Just before the rice pudding sets fold the whipped cream into the rice pudding and transfer to 6 well-oiled metal ring moulds (about 6cm in diameter and 4cm deep). Cover and chill for 4 hours before turning the puddings out onto serving plates and dusting with icing sugar.

Drizzle the cherry compote over the top and around the sides then serve.