Whipped Rice Pudding

Infused with fig leaf and served with peach & cherry compote

When you’re as entrenched in the pastry side of the internet as I am, you become aware of ingredient trends, these trends usually revolve around whatever is in season and are normally fairly easy to hop on board with. But every now and then an “it girl” ingredient pops up, an ingredient that every pastry chef seems to be using but is notable in it’s scarcity. In autumn this is aways quince, where is everyone finding them!? I’ve never seen them in a normal supermarket but luckily for me I don’t really like quince so I never feel as though I’m missing out too badly.

At this time of year it’s a different story and I very much feel as though I’m the nerd wistfully looking into the cool kids party. In summer the elusive ingredient is some kinda leaf - fig leaves, peach leaves, tomato leaves, you name it, all the chefs are using leaves, apart from me, because I can’t bloody find any! Until now.