Tips: This comforting dessert is simple and delicious alternative to traditional and much-loved rice pudding. In this recipe, the rice is cooked in almond-flavoured milk and flavoured with warming cinnamon.

Yield:6

1. Put the almonds in a food processor or blender with 4 tbsp of very hot water. Process until finely chopped, then push through a sieve (strainer) into a bowl.
   
   
2. Return to the food processor or blender, add a further 4 tbsp hot water, and process again. Push through the sieve into a pan.
   
   
3. Add 1 1/4 cups water and bring the mixture to the bowl. Add the rice, caster sugar, cinnamon stick, half the butter, the almond essence, half the milk and half the cream, and mix to combine thoroughly.
   
   
4. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, adding more milk and cream as the rice mixture thickens. Continue to cook the rice, stirring, and adding the remaining milk and cream, until the pudding becomes thick and creamy.
   
   
5. At the end of the cooking time, taste the rice pudding for sweetness, adding a little extra sugar, if necessary.
   
   
6. Pour the rice pudding into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the toasted flaked almonds. Dot with the remaining butter and dust with a little ground cinnamon. Serve with pudding hot.