Mom's Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding)
- Joe S.
- Jul 29, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 2, 2020
A delicious easy to make dessert made with rice, milk and spices. Yum!
"Arroz con Leche", "Rice Pudding", "Kheer"... there are many names and versions for this rice and milk dessert. It is light, creamy, and delicious. Each country has a different recipe for it but they all produce a similar result.
You can find this wonderful dessert all around the world. Very popular in South East Asia, Northern Africa, Middle East, Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific.
This is mom's recipe. She has been making this as long as I remember. I inherited her love and talent for cooking. She is always baking or cooking something and you can feel her passion in everything she prepares. Before I made this, I spent hours on the phone with her making sure I had every ingredient and step written down. I truly wanted to honor her by replicating this dish.
Stovetop and Rice Cooker methods below.
This dish is Lacto Vegetarian.
What is the flavor profile?
Sweet and aromatic with a creamy texture and a hint of lemon. The spices create a wonderful feast for the palate.
What ingredients will I need?
Rice, milk, evaporated milk, sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, nutmeg or allspice, salt, water, and dried fruit.
What else will I need to make this?
A large saucepan, a wooden spoon, and a zester.
Is there a way to make this faster?
Yes. You can use a rice maker to make the rice.
Can I substitute ingredients?
Yes. you can use coconut milk, almond milk, or any milk substitutes instead of milk; nutmeg or mace instead of allspice; orange zest instead of lemon zest, and a sugar substitute instead of sugar.
You can also control the amount of sugar to your liking. Some like a sweet Arroz con Leche while others like a less sweet one.
At what temperature do I serve Arroz con Leche?
You can serve it either hot or cold.
If you are planning to serve it cold, make sure you reduce the amount of rice used to 1 cup, otherwise the rice will absorb all the liquid, seize, and you will be left with a lumpy product.
If you are planning to reheat the Arroz con Leche, just add some milk to it and it will be fine.
Let's make it!
Prep time: less than 5 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
Serves 8 to 10 people
INGREDIENTS
1 to 1/2 cups of white long grain rice
2 - 3 cups of milk
6 oz of evaporated milk (cow or goat)
Up to 1 1/4 cups of sugar
A pinch of salt
2 cinnamon sticks or 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Zest of a lemon
6 to 8 Whole cloves or 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
A dash of Ground Allspice , nutmeg, or ground mace
Water
Raisins, dried cranberries, or dried fruit
Traditional Stovetop Method
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the water, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, a dash of allspice. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, set the temperature on low, and stir the rice with a wooden spoon until it cooks and softens (about 15 to 20 minutes). Add more water if needed to complete the cooking process.
Once the rice is cooked and tender, add the milk, evaporated milk, sugar, and lemon zest. Continue to cook on low heat for another 10 minutes. Stir frequently.
When the 10 minutes have elapsed, add the dried fruit.
Remove from heat and serve.
Rice Cooker Method
Add 2 cups of water, rice, cinnamon stick, cloves, allspice, and salt to the rice cooker. Incorporate well. Cook rice as instructed in you rice cooker.
Once the rice is cooked and tender, transfer to a large saucepan and add the milk, evaporated milk, sugar, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil and reduce to low. Continue to cook on low heat for another 10 minutes. Stir frequently.
When the 10 minutes have elapsed, add the dried fruit.
Remove from heat and serve.
Enjoy!!!
Printable PDF Recipe File below:
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