Orange Creamsicle Rice Pudding

1 cup half-and-half
1 cup milk
1 cup 100% orange juice*
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons chopped orange zest
3 whole eggs, beaten well
3 cups warm cooked basmati rice (right out of the steamer or cooking pot)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
10 fresh mint sprigs

* May substitute Florida Orange Juice from Concentrate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine half-and-half and milk in medium saucepot. Add sugar, vanilla and orange zest. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, while stirring continually, until sugar is dissolved. The mixture should smell like a creamsicle.

Place beaten eggs in medium mixing bowl. Slowly pour hot liquid into eggs while whisking constantly until all liquid is absorbed. Whisk in orange juice; then stir in rice and cranberries. Pour mixture back into saucepot and cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture becomes hot and slightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Coat a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour warm pudding mixture into dish and bake for 15 minutes. Check to see if pudding is softly set (it should jiggle when shaken). Use large tablespoon or ice cream scoop to portion out rounded spoonsful of hot pudding into 10 pudding or parfait dishes. Drizzle with orange cranberry glaze and garnish with fresh mint.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of the Florida Citrus Commission.