Rice Pudding

Filling rice bowl favorite.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Cozy nursery-comfort dessert (or breakfast).
• Five ingredients, pantry-friendly.
• Equally good warm or cold.
• Custom flavors: cardamom, orange zest, rosewater all work.
• Naturally gluten-free.

Ingredient Notes

• Whole milk + a bit of cream gives the richness; skim makes it watery.
• Real vanilla bean adds flecks and depth, but extract is fine.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Coconut milk for dairy-free (texture is a touch thinner).
• Maple syrup or brown sugar for caramel notes.
• Cardamom + saffron for a riz au lait / kheer vibe.

Equipment Needed

• Heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Small bowl for tempering

Prep Tips

• Soaking raisins makes them plump instead of chewy bullets.
• Don't rinse the rice — you want that surface starch.

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep: 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice, 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp butter. Measure everything before you start cooking so the cook moves quickly.

2. 2

   Simmer rice in milk 35 min, stirring.

3. 3

   Stir in sugar, cinnamon, butter.

4. 4

   Cool slightly.

Artsi Pro Tips

• Short-grain rice releases starch for creamy pudding; long-grain stays separate and watery.
• Stir more toward the end as it thickens to prevent scorching.
• Tempered yolk at the end adds silkiness without scrambling.

Common Mistakes

• High heat — scorched milk on the bottom, gluey texture.
• Not stirring enough — sticks and burns.
• Boiling after adding yolk — scrambled.
• Reheating without milk — gummy paste.

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