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Mirjana

Coconut Custard Rice Pudding Dessert Ideas

5 from 1 vote
Discover the perfect vegan rice pudding recipe with aromatic basmati rice, coconut milk, and succulent dates. This dairy-free dessert is served with a luscious coconut custard and can be garnished with dry fruits, pomegranates, oranges, or your favorite berries. Explore creative presentation ideas and enjoy this delightful vegan treat! 
Vegan rice pudding desserts are easy to make and can be topped with fruit syrups. I love to use pomegranate or date syrup, but a sprinkle of dark chocolate is also an option. In this recipe, traditional milk is replaced with rich coconut milk, lending a creaminess to the dish. 
Because rice pudding desserts are so versatile and pretty for presentation, I am posting several possibilities to inspire you to enjoy your creativity. The rice pudding ingredients are the same. Below are instructions for the DATE version, but other options are shown in pictures. 
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, European, vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups basmati rice, cooked in 4 cups water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 13.5 oz can of organic unsweetened coconut milk (I use Native Forest Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk Classic)  
  • 1 tbsp organic powder sugar
  • 2 tbsp organic sugar
  • 1 tbsp organic Madagascar pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup organic unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, divided
  • 20-24 pitted organic Deglet dates
  • 1/2 cup Organic date syrup
  • Fresh mint leaves for serving

Method
 

  1. Begin by thoroughly rinsing the basmati rice. Bring 3 cups of water to a gentle boil with a pinch of salt in a pot. Add the rinsed rice and let it simmer uncovered. Avoid stirring to maintain the rice's texture. After simmering, cover the pot and let it rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
  2. While the rice cooks, prepare the coconut drizzle. In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut milk, coconut flakes, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, and vanilla extract. This mixture will serve as your golden yellow vegan custard and pouring sauce.
    vegan custard
  3. Transfer the cooked rice to a large bowl and fold in the powdered sugar and turmeric. Chill covered in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. The powdered sugar will sweeten the rice, and turmeric will give it a golden color. (Of course, adjust the amounts to your taste.)  
    Shape the chilled rice mixture into six equal-sized balls by hand and place them elegantly on serving plates or spoon them out into dessert bowls.
    Cooked rice balls.
  4. Drizzle the golden coconut sauce generously over each serving, ensuring every bite is infused with creamy goodness. (You can also serve the rice pudding as is, without forming balls.)
    Serve each rice ball with a drizzle of organic date syrup and a few dried pitted dates for added sweetness and texture, and garnish with mint leaves. 
  5. Try other creative serving versions: serve the rice pudding with pomegranate seeds and pomegranate syrup.
    Rice in custard with pomegranate seeds and mint.
  6. Serve your favorite berries,
    Rice pudding served with berries and mint leaves in oval plate.
  7. or refreshing orange slices,
    Orange slices in custard on blue plate.
  8. and garnish with mint leaves for a burst of freshness.

Notes

Enhancement Tip: For a refreshing twist, consider infusing the coconut milk with a hint of cardamom or cinnamon during preparation. Additionally, toasted coconut flakes sprinkled on top will add a crunch to this exotic dessert. Experiment with different fruit syrups, fresh fruit or compotes to create your signature presentation.
For best results, I suggest organic ingredients.