Rice will always be considered an essential store cupboard ingredient in every Italian household, and this recipe for rice pudding with almonds and raisins demonstrates why…
For all intents and purposes, this dessert sits somewhere between a crème brûlée and a classic rice pudding, with an Italian flavour.
It’s comfort food at its very best and it can be made well in advance.
Italian arborio rice is perfect for this dish as the high starch content helps to thicken the sauce and ensures a creamy consistency to the finished dish.
This recipe uses raisins and almonds, but it works equally well with other dried fruits.
Also, at the end, we’ve added a crunchy caramelised sugar topping, but this final step is entirely optional.
Rice pudding with almonds and raisins | Riso al latte con mandorle e uvetta
➤ SERVES: 4
➤ PREPARATION: 5 minutes
➤ COOKING: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 150g arborio rice
- 750ml whole milk
- 80g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50g raisins
- 30g chopped almonds
- 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp sugar for the topping
Method:
- In a medium heavy-based saucepan bring the rice and the milk to the boil. Reduce the heat and add the sugar and the vanilla. Cook gently for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the dried fruit and the almonds. Continue cooking for about another 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked and tender. Add a little extra milk if needed as you don’t want the rice to dry out.
- Once cooked, add the cinnamon and spoon the rice into individual serving dishes and refrigerate until cold and you are ready to serve.
- To finish, top each pudding with a heaped tablespoon of sugar in a thin layer. If you have a heat gun, use as instructed to caramelise the sugar. If not, place the puddings under a heated grill until the sugar melts and browns, which should take about 4-5 minutes.
TIP If you don’t have a heat gun and you are going to use the grill to caramelise the sugar, keep the heat down as low as possible and make sure you keep a very good eye on your rice puddings as they brown. It would be a shame for it all to go wrong now!
Recipe and photo by Mario Matassa
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