Arroz Con Leche (Rice Pudding)
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This Arroz con Leche, an utterly lovable and desirable Dominican-style rice pudding, is made by cooking rice with milk, infused with citrus and cinnamon. It is creamy, comforting, and unlike any other you've ever tried. The pudding is wonderful for dessert or breakfast, served hot or straight from the fridge.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 - 2 cinnamon sticks I only use one
- 1 -2 whole cloves
- 1 strip of lemon (or orange) zest
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 14-ounce can evaporated milk (*see notes)
- 2 cups whole milk plus a little more if needed
- 1/4 cup sugar or a little more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup raisins optional
Instructions
- Give the rice a quick rinse in a strainer. Place the rice, cinnamon stick(s), cloves, lemon or orange zest, and 2 1/2 cups water in a large, heavy saucepan. Soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour, if possible. **See notes below if you prefer to skip the soaking.
- Bring the rice mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, uncoverd, or until most of the water has been absorbed.
- Add the evaporated milk, whole milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and raisins (if using) stirring well to combine. Lower heat to the lowest setting possible and cook, stirring often, until thickened, but still soupy, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Once the rice pudding has finished cooking, taste it. Add a little more sugar if you like it sweeter and/or a pinch of salt, if needed. At this point, you can add a tablespoon of rum, if you'd like.
- Remove the cinnamon stick(s) and zest. Serve warm, or transfer to a large bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the pudding. This will prevent a dry, crusty layer from forming on top. Chill for a few hours or overnight. Note that the rice pudding will thicken considerably as it cools and chills.
Notes
*If you don't have evaporated milk, you can whisk 1 egg with 3 cups whole milk (instead of 2 cups whole milk).
**If you wish to skip soaking the rice, allow the rice to cook in the water for 13-15 minutes, as opposed to 10, or until it has absorbed almost all the water.
TIPS
- Watch the pot closely when bringing the sauce to a boil. The milk can boil over quickly and make a big mess. Not good. As soon as the milk is gently boiling, reduce the heat.
- Simmer the rice pudding on the lowest heat possible and stir often. Otherwise, it will stick to the bottom of the pan and dry out before it has finished cooking.
- If you like a thinner arroz con leche, pull it off the heat as soon as soon as it starts to thicken. That will be after about 15 minutes.
- Depending on your burner, and the amount of heat you use, the arroz con leche might thicken too quickly for you. If this happens, remove the pot from the heat. Add a generous splash more milk, and return to cook over very low heat for just a few more minutes.
- If you're in a hurry to make the rice pudding, you can skip the rice soak and go straight to cooking. The rice will just take a bit longer to cook.
- Leftovers can be stored in a tight-lid container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.