Arroz con Leche: Winter Time Comfort Food

I recently signed up to bring a hot dish to a weekly women's bible study and I couldn't decide between savory or sweet so I thought about what I loved eating for breakfast when I was a child.  The first thing that came to my mind was Cream of Wheat with cinammon toast and the second thought was a warm bowl of Arroz con Leche.  Oh my goodness, Mexican rice pudding is the ultimate comfort food for breakfast.

The following receipe is adapted from a recipe I found off a food blog called ButterYum.  I decided on using this receipe because I liked the recommendation of Arborio rice (used for making risottos) instead of the traditional long grain rice.  Arborio rice is shorter grain and has a higher starch content so when it's cooked properly the end result is a silky creamy texture that is to die for.  You can also use Valencia rice which is very similar to Arborio rice.  I made a few modifications to the recipe by adding a couple of traditional Mexican cooking methods often used when making Arroz con Leche.  

My first attempt resulted in a kitchen disaster because I tried using leftover cooked Arborio rice and folding it into the liquid mixture.  The rice pudding didn't taste bad, but it lacked that creamy texture and bits of the rice seemed undercooked.  My next attempt resulted in the perfect creamy consistency that makes a good Arroz con Leche worth the extra calories. 

As a word of caution, be sure to use a large heavy bottomed sauce pan or dutch oven.  Also because these ingredients can burn very easily, you have to be sure to keep your eyes on the mixture at all times during the cooking process.  I learned that there are no shortcuts when it comes to making Arroz con Leche, but the end result is well worth the 45 minutes in your kitchen.  This receipe will serve about 8.

ARROZ CON LECHE

1 cup Arborio or Valencia rice
2 Tbsp. butter
6 Cups whole milk
1/2 Cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/2 Cup raisins (optional)
Pinch of kosher salt
cinnamon sugar, for dusting (optional)

 

In a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan or dutch oven, melt the butter and lightly toast the rice for about 2 minutes.  Add the milk, sugar, cinnamon sticks, salt and vanilla bean and continuously stir the mixture bringing it to a medium boil.  Add the raisins (if using), and reduce heat to a gentle bubble and stir continuously for 20-30 minutes until the rice is plump and creamy.  It is very important not to walk away during this step. 

Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon sticks.  Serve immediately, dusting each portion with cinnamon sugar or transfer it to a storage container covering the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and chill completely.  

Note: If you plan to serve your Arroz con Leche chilled and you find the pudding is too firm, gradually stir in a little milk or half and half until you reach the desired consistency. Some prefer Arroz con Leche chilled and firm while others enjoy it warm with lots of extra milk.  I came across a recommendation to serve it with a crust of carmelized sugar on top (think Creme Brûlée), which is the way I'm going to serve it next time.