Description
A traditional Spanish dessert, Arroz con Leche is a creamy and comforting rice pudding flavored with cinnamon, lemon, and orange peel. This recipe uses short grain rice simmered gently in milk and sugar, with an optional splash of cream for added richness. Perfect served chilled and sprinkled with ground cinnamon.
Ingredients
Scale
Milk and Sugar Mixture
- 3 cups whole milk
- Scant ½ cup sugar
Flavorings
- 1 strip lemon peel
- 1 strip orange peel
- 1 small cinnamon stick
Rice
- ⅔ cup white rice (short grain preferred, medium grain also works)
Optional
- ¼ cup cream
- Ground cinnamon, to serve
Instructions
- Boil Milk and Sugar: In a medium saucepan, combine half of the milk and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer Sugared Milk: Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. This will thicken the milk mixture slightly.
- Prepare Flavored Milk: In a separate medium saucepan, bring the remaining milk, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, and orange peel to a boil.
- Cook Rice: Add the uncooked rice to the flavored milk in the second saucepan. Lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes.
- Combine and Cook Together: Stir the thickened, sugared milk into the rice mixture. Continue cooking, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the rice is tender and pudding has thickened to your liking, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add Cream: Remove from heat and stir in the cream if using, for a richer texture.
- Cool and Store: Transfer the pudding to a bowl, remove the citrus peels and cinnamon stick. Stir frequently while cooling to prevent a skin from forming. Cover and refrigerate until very cold.
- Serve: Serve chilled, ladling into bowls and sprinkling with ground cinnamon. Optionally add an extra tablespoon of cream or milk before serving.
Notes
- Organization: Prepare ingredients at room temperature and ensure you have enough workspace for a smooth cooking process.
- Rice: While short grain rice is preferred for its absorption and creaminess, medium grain, Arborio, or even basmati can be used with different textures.
- Cream: Optional for a creamier pudding; adjust based on the starchiness of your rice.
- Storing: Leftover rice pudding keeps well in the refrigerator for up to one week in an airtight container. It may thicken upon standing, so stir in a little milk before serving if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approx. 230g)
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
