Stovetop Chocolate Cherry Rice Pudding

Steps

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear.
2. In a medium heavy pot, bring the water and the rice to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed.
3. Meanwhile, sift the unsweetened cocoa powder into a bowl, add one quarter of the milk and whisk until the cocoa powder is smooth with no lumps; this is the chocolate paste.
4. Pour the remaining three quarters of the milk into the pot of rice, then stir in the chocolate paste of cocoa powder and milk, the maple syrup, the salt and the cinnamon.
5. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the rice is very tender and the pudding is thick and creamy.
6. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
7. Spoon the pudding into four bowls or jars, press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill for at least 2 hours, until cold and set.
8. While the pudding chills or just before serving, halve and pit the cherries and rinse the blueberries.
9. Top each bowl with the cherries and the blueberries and serve cold.