RICE PUDDING CAKE

It all starts with rice pudding, a tiny flat and one lifelong ally, and it looks like that's how it ends too; and what's in-between, I wouldn't know how to spell out in words; but it's not all bleak; and there's the darkest London but a way out of it too; and the darkest night you'll ever see, but also night travellers, who have the heart of a lion and take your hand and walk with you morning-bound. And never mind all the books I should have written; the Book of London is one I will carry with me; but now I better go, and I've said it before but I'll say it again: bye.



RICE PUDDING CAKE



1l (4 cups + 2 tablespoons) soya milk or other non-dairy milk
seeds from 1 vanilla pod
200g (1 cup) short grain rice
150g (3/4 cup) turbinado sugar
120g (1/2 cup) soya yoghurt or other non-dairy yoghurt
1 tablespoon vanilla instant pudding mix or custard powder

Place milk and vanilla in a large pan over low heat. Bring to a boil and add the rice. Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Next add the sugar and let cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring often as the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat, transfer to a heat proof bowl and cover with cling film to prevent a skin from forming. Let the mixture cool slightly to firm up. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease/line with baking paper a 20cm (8") cake tin. Once the mixture is warm, add the yoghurt and pudding mix and pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 1 hour. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar and/or cinnamon and cutting into slices.