A creamy Portuguese rice pudding, flavored with lemon and cinnamon, enriched with the silky richness of egg yolks. Served warm or chilled, it remains one of Portugal's most comforting family desserts.
Ingredients
- 150 g short-grain pudding rice or Portuguese Carolino rice
- 750 ml whole milk
- 250 ml water
- 100 g granulated white sugar
- 3 pieces egg yolks
- 1 piece untreated lemon
- 1 piece cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 15 g unsalted butter
Method
- Quickly rinse the rice, then place it in a saucepan with the water, salt, cinnamon stick, and a wide strip of lemon zest with no white pith; let simmer until the water is almost absorbed and the grains start to open.
- Gradually pour the hot milk over the rice, stirring often; maintain a gentle simmer, never a hard boil, to achieve a creamy result without scorching.
- Continue cooking, stirring regularly, especially at the bottom of the pot, until the rice is tender and the mixture coats the spoon like a soft custard.
- Add the sugar and butter, then stir until the rice becomes glossy and slightly more fluid; continue cooking just long enough to restore a creamy texture.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon zest, then lower the heat to a minimum or take the saucepan off the heat if the mixture is still boiling.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, temper them with a little of the hot rice, stirring vigorously, then stream this mixture back into the saucepan to avoid scrambling the yolks.
- Return to very low heat, stirring constantly, until the arroz doce thickens slightly and takes on a pale yellow color; stop before it reaches a boil.
- Divide into bowls or a ceramic dish, let cool slightly until the surface sets, then dust with ground cinnamon just before serving or refrigerating.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 441.8 kcal
- Protein
- 14.06 g
- Carbohydrate
- 66.5 g
- Fat
- 13.46 g
- Fibre
- 1.83 g
- Calcium
- 225.83 mg
- Iron
- 0.58 mg
- Magnesium
- 28.25 mg
