The traditional rice pudding, better known as arroz con leche worldwide, has become a classic in the cuisine of many countries and it is even a regular dish you find on the menus of many renowned restaurants.
Although some people very often consider it a main dish, it is also a dessert and it is registered as an important item in most popular recipe books of traditional desserts.
In this sense, if you prefer it as a dessert, here we want to present to you a simple rice pudding recipe that you can make at home. You will also find some tips with interesting facts about it. So, if you’re still wondering what is arroz con leche, just read on and find it out.
Make sure you have at hand the necessary ingredients required; namely:
- 200 gr of round rice.
- 1 liter of milk.
- 2 cinnamon sticks.
- 100 gr of sugar.
- The peel of a lemon.
For the decoration you can use cinnamon powder or 4-5 teaspoons of brown sugar (or white) to caramelize its surface (optional).
How to cook this delightful dessert
Since it is a dish well known around the world, there is no exact way of how to prepare it. That is because it varies from one place to another, especially when it comes to cooking the rice. However, the recipe we present here is a traditional one and its excellent flavor and texture in the palate are guaranteed.
Follow the directions below to achieve the best arroz con leche you have ever tried.
- First aromatize the milk in which we will cook the rice. For doing this, pour the milk together with the sugar, the cinnamon sticks and the lemon peel into a saucepan.
- Put it over medium heat until it boils, that is, until you see it starts to bubble.
- Meanwhile, eliminate most of the starch from the rice by putting it in a colander under a stream of cold water.
- Stir it with your own hands and keep it like that for at least a couple of minutes to release all the starch. This will not affect the creaminess of the rice, but it will make it harder for it to stick.
- When the milk is boiling add the rice and lower the heat to low so that it cooks slowly for 45-50 minutes.
- Stir it from time to time, usually every 5 minutes or so.
- When it is almost ready, you will have to stir more frequently so that it does not stick to the bottom.
- Taste the rice and, if the grains are done and the texture is what you like, remove it from the heat and let it stand for a few minutes to temper.
- Before it cools, remove the cinnamon sticks and the lemon peel and pour it into the containers in which it will be served.
- Sprinkle cinnamon on top or caramelize the surface. Pour a teaspoon of sugar on top of the rice well distributed, and with the help of a blowtorch melt the sugar to form a crust on top of the rice that will be crunchy when it cools down. Delicious!
- It can be consumed immediately, warm, although it is a dessert that is usually enjoyed cold.
Why is arroz con leche so popular?
Arroz con leche has become so famous and popular because it requires simple, pantry ingredients that everybody has at home or, if not, you can easily get them in the store nearby. Besides, its flavor and texture are so delicious that it delights everyone who tries it.
Moreover, when prepared as dessert it can be served cold, warm or hot, depending on the time of the year. It’s so tempting!
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