Basic Rice Pudding for Two
A creamy rice pudding is the ultimate comfort food among desserts. It's slow simmering milk (not cream) and one egg yolk that make this basic dessert so rich and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup Arborio rice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 vanilla bean or 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- 2.5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Split a vanilla bean lengthwise. Lay the vanilla bean “pod” flat on a cutting bard. Use a sharp knife and slice the vanilla bean lengthwise down the middle, but not all the way through. Cut only through the top layer of the bean. This will expose the inside where the seeds hide.
- Transfer milk, rice, salt and the split vanilla bean into a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, while stirring constantly. This will prevent the rice from sticking to the pan bottom. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Take the lid off the pan and continue simmering for another 8 minutes or so. Stir frequently. At the end, the rice should be tender, and the pudding should be reduced to about 1 3/4 cups. Measure this.
- Remove the vanilla bean.
- In a bowl, mix the egg yolk with the granulated sugar. (NOTE 1)
- Slowly add the cooked rice to the egg mixture, while whisking constantly.
- With the back of a knife, scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean and add to the rice pudding.
- Pour the pudding back into the pan. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. This will take about 1-2 minutes and the pudding coats the back of a spoon or spatula.
- Pour the pudding into a bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. This prevents a skin from forming. Cool it down as far as you like. You can also serve it immediately if you prefer.
- Once cooled, divide the rice pudding over two bowls.
Notes
- If you're using vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean, add the extract to the egg yolk-sugar mixture.
Nutrition
Calories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 11gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 388mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27g