Adapted from The Young Ladies’ Guide in the Art of Cookery, Being a Collection of useful Receipts, Published for the Convenience of the Ladies committed to Her Care, by Elizabeth Marshal.
Ingredients
For the base and topping:
1 cup (2-3 slices) fresh bread crumbs
2 T sugar
For the custard:
1 cup rice
1 quart half and half
1 stick cinnamon OR ½ teaspoon ground cinammon
The zest of one lemon
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
4-6 apples
For the sauce:
¼ cup sherry or other sweet, fortified wine (the “sack”)
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grate (or process in a food processor) 2 to 3 slices of fresh or slightly stale bread to make 1 cup of bread crumbs and mix with 2 tablespoons of the sugar.
Evenly distribute half of the bread crumb mixture across the bottom of a well-greased 8”x8” baking dish.
Peel and core 6 small or 4 larger apples. Place them in the baking dish.
In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and boil for 15 minutes, then strain and return rice to pot.
Add the half & half, cinnamon, lemon zest, and ¼ cup sugar.
Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and the remaining tablespoon of sugar.
Temper the egg mixture by adding a few tablespoons of the hot rice to the egg mixture while stirring constantly, then add the egg mixture to the pot of rice while stirring.
Stir frequently until the mixture has cooled somewhat.
Fill the apples with the rice mixture and pour the remainder over and around the apples.
Top with the remaining bread crumb mixture and bake at 350 for an hour, or until golden brown.
In a small pot, stir together butter, sugar, and sherry until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolved. Pour evenly over the apples and serve immediately.
Recipe by Dishwasher Required at http://dishwasherrequired.com/riceapples/