The Classics: The Creamiest Rice Pudding

• Refrigerated

  • 2 Egg yolks

• Condiments

  • 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla or vanilla bean paste, pure

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1/2 cup Arborio rice

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup White sugar

• Other

  • 2/3 cup Heavy (35%, whipping cream
  • Optional (but highly recommended!: 1/2 cup raisins
  • 4 cups Whole (3.5% milk

Found on seasonsandsuppers.ca

Description

Directions

• Rinse a large saucepan with cold water. Dont dry. Set on stove-top over medium heat. Add milk. Heat milk to boiling, over medium heat, stirring regularly. WATCH CLOSELY as it nears the boil! When milk hits the boil, it will boil up and possibly over. Thats not a good thing.
• When milk boils, stir in rice and keep stirring until mixture returns to the boil. Reduce heat to a shade higher than low, or whatever level on your stove allows the mixture to gently simmer (bubble breaking the surface but not too vigorously). Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring down the mixture every 10 minutes (Important that you stir it down regularly and ensure that there is no rice sticking to the bottom of the pan. You will notice that the mixture has probably formed a skin on top. Dont remove it. Just stir it back in.)
• Meanwhile, in a 2-cup measuring cup or similar sized bowl, use a fork to whisk together the cream, sugar, yolks, vanilla and salt. Set aside on counter while rice is cooking, leaving fork in bowl. Set out a ladle to use, as well. I like to do this after the rice starts cooking, so that the mixture comes to room temperature by the time its needed.
• Once milk/rice has simmered for 30 minutes, continue simmering, but stir down every 5 minutes. With each stir, start testing the done-ness of the rice by tasting a piece. You want the rice to be tender (so no hard center). Arborio rice is generally done in the 35-45 minutes of total simmering time. Long-grain rice could take up to 60 minutes. A lot will depend on how vigorously your mixture is boiling, so there is no hard and fast rule. Taste testing is the best indicator.
• Once rice is cooked, slide saucepan off the heat. Re-whisk your egg mixture with your fork. Using the ladle, spoon out a ladle-full of hot rice/milk mixture, taking as much liquid as possible, but not to worry if you bring some of the rice with it. With the ladle in your left hand (assuming your right-handed, if not, reversand using your right hand to start whisking the egg mixture with the fork, start adding the hot mixture to the eggs A DROP AT A TIME, at first, while continuously whisking with the fork. Increase to a slow stream, while whisking continuously, until the entire ladle-full has been added. Get another ladle-full of hot liquid and slowly add it to the egg mixture as well, whisking continuously. Keep adding hot liquid until youve got at least 1 1/2 cups-1 3/4 cups of now warmed liquid in your 2 cup measure. Once you have reached that point, pour the warmed egg liquid into your rice/milk mixture.
• Return saucepan to heat, over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring almost continuously, just until a dime-sized bubble breaks the surface of the pudding. Pudding should be noticeably thickened and saucy, but still more sauce than rice (pudding will set more in the fridge as it cools). If liquid seems almost like milk consistency (rather than heavy cream consistency), its too thin. Cook, stirring, a little longer. Note though that you dont want to vigorously boil the mixture after the egg mixture has been added, as you may end up with scrambled eggs.
• If using raisins, add to the bottom of a medium-large bowl. When pudding is cooked, pour hot mixture over raisins. Stir well to combine. Allow to stand on counter for about 5 minutes, to allow the steam to reduce, then cover bowl with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator. Allow to cool and set, at least 6 hours or preferably, over-night. Pudding will set as it cools. To serve, simply stir and spoon into bowls. Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired. If pudding is or becomes too thick, simply add a tablespoon or so of heavy cream to mixture and stir in.

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