Rice Pudding

Here we are again for my choice of the cookbook challenge with Megan of Megan's Cookin and I chose Rich Risotta Rice Pudding from Jill O'Connor's Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey. If I haven't said it before, I really like this book. It is really a girly book, dressed in pink, blue and brown, and it is full of great looking recipes.

Megan made this pudding before I got around to making it and she had trouble with it thickening. She described hers as a sweet rice pudding soup, so that had me a little discouraged. So, I made a couple of changes. I used just a plain long grain rice, used 2 percent milk and I halved the recipe and it came out just fine. It thickened up nicely. Now, that could be because I let alot of the liquid boil over and out of the pot, and down into the eyes of my stove. Not a pretty sight, but at least the pudding thickened!

Don't forget to check out Megan's adventure with this pudding and I can't wait to see her choice for the next round.


Rich Risotto Rice Pudding
By: Jill O'Connor

1/2 cup arborio rice
8 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Combine the rice, milk, sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon, and salt in a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every 5 minutes as the mixture starts to thicken, for about 30 minutes. Continue cooking until the rice is tender but not too mushy, about 15 minutes longer. The milk will be thick and the rice tender, but the mixture will still be a little soupy, which is what you want. (As the pudding cools, it thickens, and if it is too thick while still hot, it will firm up into a thick, stodgy lump without the unctuous creaminess of a great rice pudding.)

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and cream together and stir into the rice pudding. Continue cooking the pudding over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the eggs are cooked through and pudding is creamy and glossy, but still fairly soupy. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Grate a little nutmeg (if using) into the pudding. Remove the vanilla bean. Pour the pudding into a serving bowl and press plastic wrap over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 to 3 hours. Serve cold.