A creamy Argentine rice pudding made with whole milk, sugar, lemon zest, and cinnamon, slow-cooked until thick and served chilled with a dulce de leche drizzle.
Ingredients
1 cup short-grain or Arborio rice
4 cups whole milk
2 cups water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon for garnish
4 tbsp dulce de leche for serving
Instructions
1Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the rice, and cook for 10 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the water and is partially cooked.
2Add the milk, sugar, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest to the pot, stirring well, and reduce heat to low for a gentle, steady simmer.
3Cook the rice in the milk for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the mixture becomes thick and creamy and the rice is very tender.
4Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon zest, stir in the vanilla extract, and pour into individual serving bowls or one large dish.
5Let the rice pudding cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, and serve dusted with ground cinnamon and a generous drizzle of dulce de leche on top.
Did You Know?
Arroz con leche came to Argentina with Spanish colonists and became so popular that it is now a beloved comfort food served at family gatherings, with grandmothers fiercely guarding their secret proportions.