Arroz con Leche
(Spanish rice pudding)
Arroz con leche (rice with milk) is one of the most popular desserts in the Latin world. This simple sweet conjures up memories of home and is supreme comfort food.
4 to 6 servings
- Milk -- 4 cups
- Short-grain rice --1/2 cup
- Cinnamon stick -- 1
- Orange or lemon peel (optional) -- 2 strips
- Salt -- pinch
- Raisins -- 1/4 cup
- Sugar -- 1/2 cup
- Butter -- 2 tablespoons
- Vanilla 1 teaspoon
Method
- Place the milk, rice, cinnamon stick, orange or lemon peel and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Immediately reduce heat to very low and simmer, stirring often and scraping bottom, for about 45 minutes.
- Add the raisins and sugar and simmer for another 15 minutes. Stir often to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Adjust sugar to taste and serve hot or cold, sprinkling the top with some ground cinnamon.
Variations
- Arroz con Dulce (Puerto Rico), or Arroz-Doce (Brazil): use coconut milk in place of regular milk.
- Short-grain rice, like arborio or Valencia rice, is best for rice pudding as it gives the dessert a creamier texture, but regular long-grain rice can be used to good result too. A little more rice can be added if you want a firmer pudding. If the pudding gets too thick, just add a little more milk.
- Sometimes water, cream, sweetened and condensed milk or evaporated milk is substituted for part of the regular milk. Just make sure the total amount of liquid adds up to 4 cups. And adjust the amount of sugar as needed.
- Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of brandy or rum when you stir in the butter and vanilla if you like.
- Some recipes call for stirring in 2 beaten egg yolks at the end before adding the butter and vanilla. The heat of the pudding will cook the yolks, make it creamier and give it a pale golden color.
Just like mom used to make!
This is an excellent recipe! Just be careful not to let the rice stick and burn on the bottom. If you use a heavy bottom pot that should help with making sure the stuck bits don't burn. This recipe is so popular with my family that I have doubled and quadrupled the recipe. If you quadruple it, in step 1 you will need to put the heat on medium high or high to get the milk to boil, or else you will be at the stove forever! And I can't stress enough - stay close and keep stirring! The result will be a divine and creamy arroz con leche. Oh, and use arborio rice, and put in a shot of rum in the last step! Que divino!
think wat she's trying to
think wat she's trying to say it could be ok wait yeh it is really good
¡Muy Delicioso!
I had been looking for a really good arroz con leche recipe, that reminded me of when I was little and my g-ma used to make it. She passed away before I was even old enough to ask for the recipe, and my mom did NOT have it. So I tried this one out, after trying many many different recipes. Perfecto!!!! It reminds me of my grandmother's recipe. I tried it exactly the way it says the first time and it was good. The second time I left out the citrus, added more cinnamon sticks and less rice. My grandmother's used to be very soupy, and that's the way I like it. Almost like a good drink with delicious rice bits at the bottom. ¡Muy Delicioso!
Since finding this receipe last weekend, I've made arroz con leche about 5 times. My mom loves it, and almost cried when she ate it. She said it reminded her of when she was a little girl and her mom would make it to comfort her. My sister's also love it, and we sit around talking about our g-ma and when we were little. I'm sure I'll get asked to make it every weekend now. I can't wait to make it for my brothers. Very good recipe, highly recommended you try it!
Brilliant
This dish is so simple! Just make sure you don't get in a hurry...cook it very, very, very slowly after it boils...(even if it takes longer than 45 mintues) and let the rice swell slowly. LOW is your friend. I prefer to use the coconut milk and 1/2 and 1/2. It is delightful! It is totally ok to go above 4 cups of milk also, if you like it rich and creamy. 1/2 cup rice is plenty!