I definitely have obsessive-compulsive baking disorder. I’d hoped to recreate the classic gâteau de riz, a French cake made by baking rice pudding in a mold. I tried fourteen times. The first time I made it, it was perfect: custardy and topped with a deep-golden crust, the top and sides bathed with a slick of glossy, thick caramel. When I attempted to reproduce it, it came out completely different with each try. Flummoxed, I sent my recipe to a friend in California. She made it two or three times and each time she also had completely different results. After a transcontinental tossing up of our hands, in her last anxiety-ridden response she told me, “but right out of the pot, it was the best rice pudding I’ve ever had.” And when I made it again, for the fifteenth time, I realized she was right.
Ingredients
makes 4 to 6 servings
Step 1
In a small saucepan, heat the raisins and Armagnac or rum and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
Step 2
In a large saucepan, combine the milk, rice, sugar, and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the saucepan, then drop in the pod. Cook over low heat at a gentle simmer, stirring frequently with a heatproof rubber spatula to make sure that the rice isn’t sticking to the bottom. At first, the mixture will be rather liquidy, but as the mixture thickens, you’ll need to be vigilant and stir almost constantly. When the milk has been absorbed by the rice and the pudding resembles a loose risotto, which will take about 45 minutes, remove the pan from the heat. Remove the vanilla pod (it can be rinsed, dried, and used for another purpose; see page 14), then stir in the raisins and any unabsorbed soaking liquid.
Step 3
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serving
Step 4
Drizzle individual servings with Cognac Caramel Sauce (page 240) or Orange Caramel Sauce (page 242).
Storage
Step 5
The rice pudding can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If it loses its creaminess, stir in some more m
Variation
Step 6
To make ORANGE-BAY LEAF RICE PUDDING, add 3 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves in place of the vanilla bean and four 1-inch (3-cm) wide strips of orange zest. Cook as directed, then remove the bay leaves and zest strips before serving.
Step 7
If you like very rich rice pudding, substitute 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) heavy cream or half-and-half for an equal amount of the milk.
tip
Step 8
Arborio rice is used to make risotto and is sold in most supermarkets. Similar Italian short-grain rice, such as Carnaroli, can also be used. If you can’t find either, substitute regular short-grain rice; the texture of the pudding will be a bit less creamy, but it will still taste delicious.
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