Soaked Portuguese Rice Cake with Old Pulteney and Caramel Custard Ice Cream

By Old Pulteney

We’ve teamed up with Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes to bring to light the shared heritage of Wick, the home of Old Pulteney, and Porto, the home of Port Wine.

Old Pulteney Port, the latest release in our limited-edition Coastal Series, embodies the essence of these two coastal regions and serves as a bridge between these two coastal communities.

Nuno’s Soaked Portuguese Rice Cake with Old Pulteney and Caramel Custard Ice Cream recipe not only showcases the craftsmanship of both regions but also invites whisky enthusiasts and food lovers alike to find new ways to enjoy these traditional flavours.

‘’This dish is inspired by the classic Rum Baba but in this case using our very own Portuguese rice cake with an Old Pulteney Port Cask custard cream. The sweet notes from the Old Pulteney Port whisky make it a wonderful pairing with the delicate rice cake. The rich, creamy custard ice cream brings out the depth in the whisky with its smoky and spicy notes. It’s the perfect Baba but better!’’ –Nuno Mendes

(Serves 4)
Rice Cake:

• 200g rice flour
• 150g flour
• 200g caster Sugar
• 75g Butter
• 150ml Milk
• 2 Eggs
• ½ orange zest
• ½ Lemon Zest
• 10ml Orange Liquor such as Licor Beirão
• 1g Smoked Paprika
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bakers yeast dissolved in a bit of warm water or powdered yeast
• Butter to coat the moulds
• Powdered sugar to sprinkle on top

Method:

• Pre heat the oven at 200 degrees
• Mix all the wet ingredients to dissolve and incorporate in a large bowl.
• Mix all the dry ingredients and whisk vigorously into the wet ingredients to incorporate into a smooth batter. If using baker’s yeast, make sure it’s well dissolved before you start mixing.
• Line 8 muffin moulds with vertical paper and brush them with a bit of butter
• Spoon the batter evenly between the moulds so that they are no more than half full. They will rise in the oven so please be aware not to overfill them
• Once the batter is evenly spread, sprinkle the top with sugar and let it rest for 30 mins uncovered in the counter
• Bake the cakes at 200 for 15 minutes
• Remove from the moulds and let it cool down on a cooling rack

Caramel Custard Ice Cream:

• Port Caramel
• 175g caster sugar
• 375g water
• 375g ruby Port wine

 Method:

• Heat the sugar in a pan with the water, once is dissolved, increase the heat to make an amber coloured caramel (It should reach 144ºC)
• Carefully pour the caramel into a baking tin
• Leave to set in the fridge overnight

Custard Caramel:

• 600g caster sugar
• 375g water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Zest of Half a lemon
• 540g pasteurised egg yolks

Method:

• Cook Sugar syrup to reach 112ºC , with lemon zest and cinnamon
• Pass the mix onto the yolks and pass it through a sieve and mix it thoroughly again so it’s well incorporated.
• Pour the mixture into a medium sizes rectangular deep tray so that the mix is not filled to the top but about 2-3 inches. Cover with kitchen foil, make some a couple of holes on it so it steams.
• Bake the custard on a Preheated oven in the mixed steam bake setting at 100ºC for 20 minutes (check at 10 minutes) and keep checking until the middle of the custard is set. Use a toothpick.
• Remove from the oven, take the foil off and let it cool down.
• This custard is amazing as it is and if you flip it onto a tray, you’ll get an amazing caramel custard to serve to your friends.

For the Ice Cream:

• To make the ice cream transfer the whole thing or if you wish, half of the custard and blend that with 20% of whole milk. This will help dilute it. Mix it in a blender or hand blender and place in a Standard ice cream maker following the user instructions.
• Churn until a smooth Gelato like texture is achieved.
• Reserve for plating

Custard Sauce:

• 500g double cream
• 150g whole milk
• 150g caster sugar
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 Egg yolks
• Sea salt
• 25g Old Pulteney Port whisky

Method:

• Bring the cream, milk sugar and aromatics to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Whisk the mix slowly into the egg yolks to temper and so it doesn’t curdle.
• Strain through a fine strainer and add back to the pot and cook in low heat until the mix thickens likely. Be careful not to scramble the eggs.
• Strain again and add the whiskey and a touch of salt. Cool it down for service.

To plate and assemble:

• Cut the rice cakes in half lengthwise and toast them lightly.
• Douse them with the whisky custard cream and place in the bottom of a serving plate.
• Scoop the custard ice cream on top
• Spoon a bit more of the custard on top and drizzle with a good extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of Maldon Salt
• Serve immediately

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