A classic creamy and delicious Greek rice pudding perfumed by the rich notes of vanilla. A refreshing sweet treat to enjoy warm or cold anytime during the day! The perfect homemade dessert all year round!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Whole milk: traditionally, this recipe is made with whole milk. Low fat milk or non-diary milk like almond, coconut or soya milk works too, just keep in mind that the pudding will become thinner.
Sugar: usually I use granulated white sugar, but you can also use brown or any other sugar or sweetener you prefer.
Vanilla flavored corn starch: helps the pudding to thicken and gives a rich vanilla flavor and aroma. If you don't have vanilla flavored corn starch (also known as vanilla pudding), feel free to use normal corn starch and add to your pudding some more vanilla powder for extra flavor and aroma.
Vanilla powder: for extra vanilla flavor and aroma.
Salt: to balance sweetness.
Rice: I prefer parboiled rice
Cinnamon: for serving. Sprinkle the pudding with plenty of ground cinnamon before serving. I prefer Ceylon cinnamon, because of the intense aroma and its health benefits. Feel free to use any cinnamon you prefer.
Steps for Rice Pudding
Cook the rice. The first step in making rice pudding is to prepare the rice. So bring rice with water and salt to a boil. When the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed you can start the pudding process.
Make the rice pudding. Once the rice is cooked and has absorbed all the water, add milk and whisk occasionally. The mixture should thicken up as it cooks. Once the mixture starts to thicken, gradually add sugar, vanilla flavored cornstarch and vanilla powder. Whisking the mixture frequently helps the pudding to thicken and prevents the rice pudding from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Cool and enjoy. Remove from heat, ladle into bowls and let it cool. Sprinkle with plenty of ground cinnamon and enjoy.
Tips for Rice Pudding
Watch the temperature. When heating up milk, make sure that you are cooking it at a low temperature as it begins to boil. This will prevent from boiling over the milk.
Be sure to whisk. You don't have to whisk the rice pudding constantly, but you should whisk pretty frequently. This helps release starch from the rice and prevents pudding from burning.
Watch the consistency. The perfect consistency depends on your preferences.I usually watch the clock when I make rice pudding. Once I begin, in 30 minutes has my rice pudding the unique consistency. Before I start serving into bowls, I am making sure that my pudding is thick enough, but not extremely thick, since it will thicken more once getting cool.
Stay close to the pot. This will help you watch the temperature, the consistency, whisk frequently, plus you may want to adjust cook time, as different rice varieties can differ in cook times.
Watch the liquid level. In case you rice is under-cooked and the liquid quite low, add some milk or water and continue the cooking process.
How to store Rice Pudding
When completely cool, wrap bowls with a cling film and store in the fridge. The rice pudding will last for approximately 3 to 4 days in the fridge. However it's so good, it probably won't last that long!
Recipe
Servings: 6-8
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Ingredients
1 cup white rice
2 cups water
1 cup granulated
pinch of salt
1 liter full fat milk
3 tbsp corn starch with vanilla flavor
1 tbsp. vanilla powder
Garnish with:
cinnamon powder
Method
In a medium pot add water, rice and a pinch of salt. Cook on medium to high heat and bring to a boil.
When rice is cooked, keep the heat on medium and add milk.
Whisk frequently so that the milk won't stick on the pot.
When the mixture starts to thicken, gradually add vanilla flavored corn starch, vanilla powder and sugar.
Keep whisking and when the mixture is thick enough, remove from the heat and serve into small bowls.
Garnish with cinnamon and enjoy hot or cold.
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