Gregg Wallace was left utterly gobsmacked by the method of making rice pudding at a Devon factory, admitting he'd "never have guessed" the process in "100 years".
During an eye-opening 2023 episode of Inside the Factory titled 'Rice Pudding', the MasterChef star delved into the Ambrosia factory's operations in Lifton, Devon, where a staggering 360,000 pots of the creamy dessert are produced daily.
His astonishment peaked when he observed the production line, where a "metallic snake" of tins wound their way to be filled. But the real shock came when he discovered the unique cooking technique used by the factory workers.
In disbelief, Gregg remarked: "You cook the rice in the can? I would never have guessed that. Would never, ever have guessed that in 100 years."
He was further surprised to find out that the "dry, hard rice" was added to the cans with milk, contrary to his expectations of seeing the rice cooked first, reports the Mirror.
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Kevin, the head of the production team, clarified the rationale behind this method to Gregg: "That's correct, Gregg. We don't want to get the rice wet before we put it into the can because as soon as you introduce moisture to rice, you can start getting more bacteria into it."
He continued, explaining the importance of avoiding pre-wetted rice: "And also, if you have wet rice before you cook it, it can be very clumpy, and then you get a lumpy product at the end."
The culinary expert watched as the rice was sieved and vacuum pumped at a rate of 22kg per second into a hopper poised above the depositor, ready for its journey into the awaiting tins.
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Kevin revealed that the machinery was churning out 500 cans per minute, which equates to the factory processing a staggering 12 tonnes of raw rice daily. Gregg found this process to be a "revelation".
The pudding tins were then transported to the milk dispenser where the mix was added, a procedure involving a series of pistons. Kevin explained that the milk was introduced at around 45 degrees, initiating the cooking process instantly.
Finally, Gregg, who has penned articles for Good Food and Olive magazines, was shown the seamer, a machine designed to attach and seal the lids to the tins at an impressive rate of 30,000 cans per hour.
The eager BBC star attempted this final stage of the process before allowing a professional to take over.
