thanks Zillah... I'd bought Jersey milk specially for this pudding, then stupidly followed the recipe on the pack of rice with a few personal innovations. Plus I don't think it was anywhere near gentle enough in the oven, particularly since mine seems to be hotter than the fires of hell!

I've heard a lot recently about people using risotto rices for rice pudding as well, but I was using ordinary short grain 'pudding rice'.

this all started with DD. She came back from the week on a farm, and a questionnaire soon followed, incuding questions about what 'new' foods the kids had tried. Considering that most of what I'd heard about was roast pork, sausages and sweet and sour pork (not very culturally sensitive that week!) I asked and was told she'd tried rice pudding... and eaten two bowls. Considering that DD is known in our house as the carb queen and has happily eaten any kind of plain carb since she was a baby this just had me in stitches, particularly with the rice connection and the fact that this very ordinary food seemed exciting and exotic to her.

I shall have another go Zillah, with your recipe on hand - I hadn't found a really nice-sounding one anywhere, hence the one on the packet being used. I'll let you know how it goes when I get round to it. I'd had the rice for nearly a year I think before trying it the first time! And Mum bought me a can, so I can give her that in the meantime.

Kerri.