Geneva Pudding — Classic Camp Dessert

Geneva Pudding is the old-school camp dessert that deserves a comeback. Layered creamy rice + cinnamon-stewed apple, baked in a camp oven until golden. Comfort food at its best — warm, sweet, generous, perfect on a chilly evening with a generous pour of custard. Forget instant puddings + jelly cups. This is the dessert that elevates a camp dinner into a proper occasion. Recipe Card Serves 4 Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Method Camp oven Difficulty Easy Best for Camp + home Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash Geneva Pudding Serves: 6-8 · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 30-40 minutes · Equipment: camp oven OR Dutch oven OR ovenproof baking dish; saucepan Photo: Claudio Schwarz / Unsplash Ingredients For the rice layer: 175g Arborio rice (or short-grain pudding rice) 1L full-cream milk 2 pinches salt 60g sugar (adjust to taste) For the apple layer: 6 cooking apples (Granny Smith ideal) 60g unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing) 120g sugar (split: 30g for stewing, 90g extra after stewing) ½ tsp ground cinnamon 30ml water Optional add-ins: handful mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins) stirred into the rice; vanilla extract; nutmeg. To serve: hot custard (premade or made from custard powder), or thick cream, or vanilla ice cream. Method 1. Stew the apples. Peel, core + roughly chop the apples. Place in a saucepan with the butter, cinnamon, water + 30g of the sugar. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are well stewed + mushy. Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining 90g sugar. Allow to cool slightly. 2. Make the rice. Wash + drain the rice. In a separate pan, combine the rice, milk + 2 pinches salt. Bring to a gentle simmer + cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add a little extra milk if it gets too thick. Once the rice is tender + creamy, stir in 60g sugar to taste. 3. Pre-heat camp oven to medium heat (about 180°C / 350°F). Build a coal bed beforehand if cooking on a campfire. 4. Butter your camp oven (or ovenproof dish) generously to prevent sticking. 5. Layer alternately. Spread a layer of HOT rice across the bottom (rice spreads more easily when hot). Then spoon a layer of stewed apple over the rice. Continue layering — rice, apple, rice, apple — finishing with a RICE layer on top. 6. Dot with butter. Small knobs of butter on top. This will brown + crisp during baking. 7. Bake at moderate heat for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown. In a camp oven over coals: 8-10 hot coals on top of the lid + similar bed underneath. Check at 25 minutes. 8. Rest 5 minutes before serving. Pour over warm custard. Serve generous. Tips and variations Add dried fruit — a handful of sultanas, raisins or dried cranberries stirred into the rice transforms it into a proper rice pudding Vanilla — splash of vanilla extract in the rice elevates it Nutmeg dusting on top before baking — classic + aromatic Pear instead of apple — autumn variation; works beautifully Stone fruit in summer — peaches, nectarines, plums (peeled, chopped, lightly stewed). Different but excellent Quince for a fancier version — cook longer until rosy Add a splash of brandy or rum to the apple layer — adult version No camp oven? Standard kitchen oven at 180°C for 30-40 minutes. Same result No oven at all? Top the layered pudding with breadcrumbs + butter, cover, simmer over low heat 20 minutes — different texture but still excellent Leftovers reheat brilliantly next day for breakfast — covered + warm Our take An old-school camp dessert that beats every modern processed alternative. Geneva Pudding is comfort food at its best — warm, creamy, gently spiced, generous. The kind of dessert that makes the whole campsite gather round. Make it on a chilly evening to finish a hearty roast or stew. Bring custard powder for the proper old-school treatment. Kids + adults equally happy. Shop Camp Ovens & Cookware

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geneva pudding

Geneva Pudding — Classic Camp Dessert

Posted on April 26, 2026