Arroz Doce
Ingredients
- 200 g short-grain (Carolino) rice
- 500 ml water
- 30 g butter
- strip of lemon peel, 1 cinnamon stick, pinch of salt
- 1 liter whole milk, warmed
- 150 g sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- ground cinnamon, to finish
Arroz doce is Portugal's classic rice pudding, cooked slowly and stirred constantly, risotto-style, as warm milk is added gradually to short-grain rice infused with lemon peel and cinnamon. Egg yolks are stirred in near the end to enrich and thicken it into a silky custard-like pudding, and it's traditionally finished with a decorative pattern of ground cinnamon sifted through a stencil.
Method
Boil the water with the butter, lemon peel, cinnamon stick and salt.
Add the rice and cook until the water is mostly absorbed.
Gradually stir in the warm milk, a little at a time, stirring frequently, as the rice absorbs each addition — much like making a risotto.
Once the rice is tender and the mixture has thickened, stir in the sugar until dissolved.
Temper the egg yolks with a little of the hot rice mixture, then stir them back into the pot and cook gently, stirring, until the pudding thickens further (do not boil after adding the yolks).
Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick, then spoon the pudding into a serving dish or individual bowls.
Let cool, then decorate the surface with a pattern of ground cinnamon before serving.
