Ingredients
Rice
- 200 gshort-grain rice, carolino or pudding rice
- 500 mlwater
- a pinch of salt
- the peel of 1 lemon, in wide strips
- 1cinnamon stick
Milk
- 1 litrewhole milk
- 180 gsugar
To enrich
- 4egg yolks
- 30 gbutter, optional
To finish
- ground cinnamon, in quantity
To serve
- cold, in a wide shallow dish, at Christmas and every festa
Directions
- Cook the rice in water first, before any milk goes near it. Simmer it in the water with the salt, lemon peel and cinnamon stick until the water is almost absorbed, about 15 minutes. Rice put straight into milk cooks slowly and unevenly, because the fat and protein coat the grains, and it takes far longer to soften.
- Use wide strips of peel with no white pith, since pith turns the whole thing bitter. Now add the hot milk to the pan. Pour in the hot milk and bring it back to a gentle simmer. Use a heavy-based pan and stir often, scraping the base, since milk scorches within moments of being left.
- Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring regularly, until the rice is completely soft and the mixture has thickened. Add the sugar only once the rice is soft. Stir until it dissolves and cook a further 5 minutes.
- Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Now temper them: whisk several ladlefuls of the hot rice mixture into the yolks, a little at a time. Pour the tempered mixture back into the pan, off the heat, stirring constantly.
- Return it to the lowest heat for 2 or 3 minutes only, stirring without stopping. Do not let it boil after the yolks are in, which curdles it.
- Take out the lemon peel and cinnamon stick. Now the consistency, which needs judging. Take it off the heat while it is still noticeably looser than you want it. It should pour slowly from the spoon. Let it cool to room temperature and then chill it. It is served cold or at room temperature, never hot.
- Dust ground cinnamon over the surface in a pattern once it is cold. Wait until the surface is cold and set, or the cinnamon sinks in and blurs. Serve it cold, spooned into bowls. It keeps three days refrigerated and thickens further each day.
Technique
- The egg yolks are what distinguish it from other rice puddings.
- The cinnamon pattern on top is traditional rather than decorative flourish.
- It is always served cold or at room temperature.
Substitutions
- Any short-grain or pudding rice.
- Made without yolks, which is simpler and plainer.
Variations
- With orange peel instead of lemon.
- Made richer, with cream.
- Served warm, which some households do despite tradition.
History
Cinnamon rice pudding inherited from Portugal, which ruled São Tomé from the late fifteenth century until independence in 1975.
Frequently asked questions
What is Arroz doce?
Arroz doce is a dessert from Portugal: lemon-scented rice pudding dusted with cinnamon. Cinnamon rice pudding inherited from Portugal, which ruled São Tomé from the late fifteenth century until independence in 1975.
How long does Arroz doce take to make?
Arroz doce takes 10 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Arroz doce?
Yes, within limits. Any short-grain or pudding rice. Made without yolks, which is simpler and plainer.
What is the most important thing to get right in Arroz doce?
Use wide strips of peel with no white pith, since pith turns the whole thing bitter. Now add the hot milk to the pan. Pour in the hot milk and bring it back to a gentle simmer. Use a heavy-based pan and stir often, scraping the base, since milk scorches within moments of being left.
