Ingredients
Rice Pudding
- 3 cups Whole Milk
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- 0.5 cups Sugar
- 1 Vanilla Bean seeded
- Pinch salt
Caramel Sauce
- 0.5 cup Brown Sugar
- 0.25 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 0.5 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- pinch Salt
Instructions
Rice Pudding
- Put the milk, cream, rice, sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and salt into a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Stirring occasionally, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until rice is tender and liquid has thickened, 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool till serving.
Caramel Sauce
- Mix the brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until mixture thickens, 4-6 minutes.
- Stir in vanilla and salt and cook for a minute or two longer, then cool till serving.
When I was much younger, I spent several years living in Europe and traveling all around the continent. One of my fondest dining memories of those decadent years was for a rice pudding (or riz au lait, as the French call it) that was served at my favorite bistrot in Paris.
It was perfectly creamy and decadent, and simply paired with a caramel sauce but it needed nothing else. It was just what you would imagine a French child loving to eat cooked especially for her by her loving grandmother! This memory has led me to try again and again to replicate that experience.
My advice for this recipe is that because it is so very simple, you must try to source the best possible ingredients so they may all shine through. I purchase whole fat milk and heavy cream from my local farmer's market, because I know the grass-fed cows there will have made some delicious milk.
Another detail is in the brown sugar– oddly enough, not all brown sugar is created equal! Try to find the dark brown, and fair trade or organic, as these tend to be the highest quality and have a deep, rich molasses flavor that is desirable in this caramel sauce.
Then once you have everything together of course you can begin! The classic rice pudding is paired with caramel sauce, but I have been known to add fruit compotes, toasted nuts, or fresh berries and everything is great with it!
For the rice pudding, place the whole milk, heavy cream, arborio rice, sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and salt into a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. I like to throw the vanilla pod in there because why not? Extra delicious! Just make sure to pull it out before you serve the dish.
Once you have brought the rice mixture to the boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid has thickened, 20-25 minutes. You will need to stir it frequently with increasing attention near the end as it thickens, because it is too easy to scorch the bottom of the pan and then you will have to start all over! Use a wooden spoon for this, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir.
As it thickens if you are having a hard time stirring and not scorching the pan, reduce the heat to a medium-low and you will be fine. Once the rice is cooked to your liking, remove from heat and pour into a heatproof baking dish to cool before serving. Press plastic wrap to the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill thoroughly. If it thickens up too much after chilling and is not easily spoonable, you can stir in a little extra milk or cream.
For the caramel sauce, blend together the dark brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until the mixture thickens, 4-6 minutes. Stir in vanilla and salt and cook for a minute or two longer, then cool till serving.
Drizzle over a generous serving of rice pudding and enjoy.
Ingredients
Rice Pudding
- 3 cups Whole Milk
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- 0.5 cups Sugar
- 1 Vanilla Bean seeded
- Pinch salt
Caramel Sauce
- 0.5 cup Brown Sugar
- 0.25 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 0.5 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- pinch Salt
Instructions
Rice Pudding
- Put the milk, cream, rice, sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and salt into a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Stirring occasionally, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until rice is tender and liquid has thickened, 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool till serving.
Caramel Sauce
- Mix the brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until mixture thickens, 4-6 minutes.
- Stir in vanilla and salt and cook for a minute or two longer, then cool till serving.
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