Your heart will melt the moment you crack through the crunchy layer of sugar and reach the creamy, soft rice.

Enough for 6-8

• 15 g (250 ml) Arborio rice
• 2 x 400 ml tins coconut milk
• 200 ml water
• 50 g (60 ml) caster sugar
• 50 g (60 ml) soft brown sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, cut open and seeds scraped out, or 10 ml vanilla essence

Topping

• 60 ml cocoa powder
• 50 g (60 ml) brown sugar

Place rice, coconut milk, water, caster and brown sugar and vanilla seeds in a medium-sized pot. Bring to the boil over medium heat while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Lower heat so mixture simmers gently and cook for about 15 – 20 minutes or until rice is soft and creamy. Stir every 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Topping Heat oven’s grill element until red hot. Add cocoa to cooked rice mixture and mix well. Pour mixture into a 20 x 12 cm oven-proof dish. Sprinkle over brown sugar and place under grill for 8-10 minutes, until sugar is golden brown.