Arroz con Leche

A creamy and comforting rice pudding with a hint of tropical coconut and a citrusy twist.

Arroz con Leche

Cook time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup short-grain rice rinsed
  • 0 water cold for rinsing
  • 1 cup short-grain rice rinsed
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 stick cinnamon stick
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 cup sugar adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 orange orange zest zest of 1 orange
  • 0.25 cup raisins optional
  • 0 whole milk as needed
  • 0 coconut milk as needed
  • 0.25 cup dulce de leche
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 0 dulce de leche sauce for drizzling
  • 0 ground cinnamon for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Rinse the short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, whole milk, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  3. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer. Stir occasionally to keep it from burning at the bottom. Let it cook for about 20 minutes until the rice begins to soften and absorb the liquid.
  4. After the rice is tender, stir in the sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy.
  5. If using raisins, add them in the last 5 minutes so they can plump up in the hot pudding.
  6. If the arroz con leche gets too thick, add a little extra milk (or coconut milk) to loosen it up. The pudding should be creamy, but not soupy. Remove from heat when it reaches your desired consistency.
  7. In a small saucepan, heat dulce de leche with heavy cream over low heat, stirring until it’s smooth and pourable. Set aside for drizzling over the rice pudding later.
  8. Remove the cinnamon stick from the arroz con leche and spoon the pudding into individual bowls or ramekins.
  9. Drizzle each serving with the dulce de leche sauce for a sweet, caramel-like finish. You can use a spoon to make decorative swirls on top.
  10. Finish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon for added warmth and aroma.
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