Italian Rice Pudding

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (500 ml/1.1 pint) water
  • 1 cup (110 g/3.9 oz) risotto rice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 cups (750 ml/1.6 US pt) half and half
  • 1 cup (225 g/7.9 oz) granulated sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 piece of lemon peel
  • Ground cinnamon to garnish
Italian Rice Pudding

Photo: Silar / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Procedure

  1. Bring water to a boil, then add rice, salt, and butter.
  2. Cover, lower heat to simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.
  3. Place rice in upper part of double boiler with half and half, sugar, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel.
  4. Bring to boil over direct heat.
  5. Place over simmering water in double boiler and cook for 45 minutes.
  6. Remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
  7. Pour rice mixture into a 2-quart (1.9 L) casserole and allow to cool.
  8. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder.

Notes, tips, and variations

  • The rice should be plump, medium grain rice that contains a lot of starch, like Arborio or Carnaroli. Other rices that work well are Roma, Nano, Maratelli, and Vialone.
  • Mixture will thicken as it cools.
  • Best at room temperature or slightly warm.