Recipes: Vegan Tuscan Style Rice Cake - Gluten Free

 

How to make this Tuscan Soft Rice Cake, vegan stylee, and then save it for eating the next day? THAT my dear vegan foodie loving reader, is the question! Having experimented a couple of times with this recipe now to perfect it, it is definitely best served the day after making, or several hours in the least. But I promise you, it is worth the wait. Especially if you are a fan of custard or rice pudding. Because a slice of this rice cake is like a sweet, delicious, solid slice of custard pie and rice pud rolled into one.

Even better, it is also gluten free. And being that really delectable desserts are not always easy to come by in a gluten free version, I beg you to try this out on any gluten intolerant friends. Or any friends, in fact. They will lick your shoes with gratefulness.

So why is this vegan soft rice cake 'Tuscan style'? Well, I don't know if you remember, but I was a runner-up in the Tuscany Villas food blogging competition, coming second place with my  Walnut Ravioli dish. I won a cookbook and a bottle of Tuscan olive oil, and from the book, I have since tried adapt and veganise some of the recipes.

The original recipe of this Tuscan Rice Cake calls for a whopping NINE eggs! So my version is very different, and, dare I say it, much healthier. Though it is not a 'health' option, by any means! I've obviously used plain old Bird's Custard Powder for the eggy effect, and I've swapped the dairy milk to a combination of canned coconut and sweetened soya milk. You can use non-sweetened if you prefer, but the sweetness is part of the my recipe, really!

It is also one of those recipes where you just gotta have FAITH! Both times I tried it, I was thinking it was heading to be a dog-dish affair. It takes ages to bake and set - you really just have to believe it will happen, as long as you've followed the recipe. And the need to set is one of the reasons also that this cake is better once it has had several hours sitting, or has been left overnight.

When you first put it in the oven, the liquid will be runny like thin custard, and the rice will sink at first, but the final effect is that the rice expands, but you still get this lovely thin custard layer on the top. Where the original cake is turned over once coming out of the oven, this isn't, but I have still added the 'skin layer' at the bottom.

So no. This recipe is not a quick, rustle-up-in-a-jiffy recipe. It bakes and sets with only patience and love. But I do think, I really do, that it is worth sitting on your hands for. You will just adore it (if you like ricey, custardy things!). And the ingredients themselves are pretty simple, really.

You see my cat Seymour on the photo above poking his nose in. Don't worry, he didn't get too close to the cake and wasn't around while I was baking, the final result is cat-hair free! But my animals can be very mischievous at times. The last time I made this, and was taking the first round of photos (these new ones are much better!), I had my back turned for a second and one of my dogs, Zuko, stole the slab of rice cake from the plate! The life of a food blogger and vegan cook is not always easy when you have a gang of critters that just have to get involved.

Anyway, if you fancy giving this a try, see below for how I created my version of a Tuscany-inspired recipe, without the cholesterol or the harm to animals!

Further recipe tips:

• Because this cake takes such a long time to bake, I recommend making it when you have other things that can go in the oven too, to make the most of your use of energy! I also baked my Austerity Oat Soda Bread and my dinner of spicy bean burger and roasted pepper while making this!
• Be patient! It takes about an hour and a half of baking, and then a few hours of setting - or to be left until the next day - for the best result. You could potentially eat about two hours after baking, and if you follow the instruction and leave in the oven. If you try and eat it straight away, it will just dollop onto the plate and fall apart (guess how I know this?!).
• Do use the can of coconut milk for creaminess, but you may interchange the other milk for one which you have at hand or which you prefer.

Tuscan Style Vegan Soft Rice Cake – Gluten Free
Serves 8

1cup / 200g pudding rice

3 cups / 750ml sweetened soya milk (or almond milk)

1 x 400ml / 13.5oz can coconut milk

1 cup / 225g granulated sugar

3 tablespoons custard powder (I use Bird's, which is vegan)

3 tablespoons brandy (or rum or Kaluha are also good)

1 tablespoon fine tapioca flour (or fine semolina flour, if you don't require gluten free)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Grated rind of 1 unwaxed lemon

1. In a jug, whisk together the contents of the can of coconut milk with the soya milk. Pour 3 cups (750ml) of the milk mixture into a pan, and add the rice. Bring the pan to the boil, then let boil on a low rumble for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently with a whisk. After around ten minutes, turn off the heat.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C / 355F. In a small bowl or tub, mix the tapioca flour with the cinnamon. In a pot flan dish, or a solid cake pan (not a loose bottomed one), spread the melted coconut oil all around the base and sides with your fingers. Scatter the tapioca / cinnamon mix over the base of the dish, tipping to the sides to spread around. Tip out any loose clumps that are left.

3. In a small jug, blend together the custard powder with about a quarter cup of the remaining milk. Mix well so the custard powder is dissolved. Into the pan of warm rice and milk, whisk in the sugar, lemon rind and alcohol. Then whisk in the custard powder blend, then finally whisk in the remaining milk.

4. Very carefully pour the very runny mixture into the flan dish, and scrape any rice out too. The liquid will likely be right at the rim, so have the oven door open and the shelf pulled out before you try to lift the dish, so you can use both hands for the dish. Carefully place the dish into the oven (I admit, I spilt some!). Now bake for around 90 minutes.

5. After 90 minutes, the rice cake will still look a little soggy on top. Just turn the oven off, but leave the dish in there. Check after about 2 hours and you will see it has set. If you are going to save and eat the next day, you can chill in the refrigerator now, and then allow it to come to room temperature before serving. You can eat warm after about two hours, but it is still better and harder set after several hours.

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Comments

[Charlotte]

Wow, this looks delicious! I'd never heard of Tuscan rice cake, but it certainly seems like my kind of pudding! Great recipe.

[Adriana]

What a treat! Rice pudding and custard together, the combination sounds amazing. Another winner recipe that I just can't wait to try. That mouthwatering close-up picture of the slice is making me so hungry right now;)

[Andrea]

Thanks Charlotte & Adriana for your comments! As soon as I saw the original recipe of this in the Tuscany book I knew I'd have to veganise it, because I used to love eggy & milky puddings! I hope you get to make it :-)

[Nathan]

Amazing! I plan on making this pie for an upcoming dinner party. How long does the pie store in the fridge for? Do you think it would be possible to make two days in advance? Thanks!

[Andrea - Chocolate and Beyond]

Hi Nathan! I think two days is about the limit. It is great after one day (the best) and I think you may still be okay for serving (and it seeming fresh) after another day, as long as you wrap the dish well in plastic film. You could potentially serve with a vegan cream if it has dried out a touch!

Please come back and let me know how it turned out!

[Ann Clarke]

Found your blog while for info on black peas Andrea. Although not veggy or vegan myself, I love the look of some of your recipes, especially the gluten free ones, and will be sending a link to my sister-in-law who has recently been diagnosed coeliac.

Look forward to reading more!!!

[Nathan Edwards]

Andrea! I have made the mixture and my pies (I have made 3 - two dinner parties over the next two days plus one to have a little try on) are currently in the oven. I don't think I am going to be disappointed with the result! I had a spoonful or five of the liquid before putting into the trays - woah! Brilliant. I this with peanut milk that I make and included the coconut milk. So excited to try. Just over an hour until the oven goes off...

[Andrea - Chocolate and Beyond]

Nathan - PLEASE tell me these rice cakes turned out great for you?!!!

[Andrea - Chocolate and Beyond]

Ann - thank you for taking time to comment! Please let me know how you get on with my recipes, and if your sis-in-law likes the gluten free ones :)

[Nathan Edwards]

Andrea! Sorry for the delay. Yes the cakes turned out fabulous. I had so much - I really over anticipated how much I thought I was going to need. So I ended up freezing one and then thawed it a week or so later. And stilllllll amazing. I made some banana/raisin ice cream to serve with them... just so yum. I think I am going to make a chocolate variety of these next! Today I am going to make your potato cakes :D

[Andrea - Chocolate and Beyond]

Nathan thanks so much for the feedback. I am really overjoyed to find out they turned out so well for you. Yes, even one cake is quite a lot as it is so rich, but good to know it freezes well! I hope the potato cakes turned out well for you too!

[Cristina]

THANK You sooooooo very much! Just made your recipe, it is beautiful. I am not vegan, but due to my son's multiple food allergies, I have been trying many vegan desserts and this one is the best so far! X

[Andrea]

Hi Cristina - I'm soooo happy you enjoyed this recipe! It is one of my favourites, too :)