Arroz Doce

Name: Arroz Doce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 200g short-grain rice; 1 liter whole milk; 200g sugar; 4 egg yolks; Zest of 2 lemons; 1 cinnamon stick; Pinch of salt; Ground cinnamon for decoration; 1 tbsp butter

Arroz Doce (ah-ROHZ DOH-seh)

Portuguese Sweet Rice

⏱ Prep Time 45 min

📈 Difficulty Easy

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 321 kcal

Creamy, lemon-scented rice pudding enriched with egg yolks and decorated with cinnamon patterns on the surface. A sweet, comforting dessert found at every Portuguese celebration and family table.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 8.0g

Carbs 52.0g

Fat 9.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

vegetarian gluten-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ dairy ⚠ eggs

Equipment Needed

heavy-bottomed saucepan shallow serving dishes

Presentation Guide

Vessel: shallow ceramic dish

Garnishes: cinnamon pattern, lemon zest

Accompaniments: espresso

Ingredients

200g short-grain rice
1 liter whole milk
200g sugar
4 egg yolks
Zest of 2 lemons
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of salt
Ground cinnamon for decoration
1 tbsp butter

Instructions

1
Cook rice in 500ml of water with a pinch of salt until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
2
In a separate pot, heat milk with lemon zest and cinnamon stick until steaming. Steep 5 minutes, then strain.
3
Add hot milk to the cooked rice. Stir in sugar and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy.
4
Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks and temper by adding a few spoonfuls of hot rice mixture, then stir back into the pot. Add butter.
5
Cook 2 more minutes on very low heat, stirring constantly. The mixture should be thick but pourable.
6
Pour into shallow dishes. Smooth the top and decorate with ground cinnamon patterns. Cool to room temperature, then chill.

💡

Did You Know?

The cinnamon decoration on arroz doce is an art form — Portuguese grandmothers create elaborate geometric patterns, hearts, and flowers using just a toothpick.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

heavy-bottomed saucepan
shallow serving dishes

Garnishing

cinnamon pattern, lemon zest

Accompaniments

espresso

The Story Behind Arroz Doce

Arroz doce has deep roots in Portuguese monastic and convent cooking, where nuns and monks created elaborate sweets using eggs and sugar. The dish became a fixture of Christmas tables and celebrations across Portugal. The tradition of decorating the surface with cinnamon patterns transforms a simple rice pudding into edible folk art.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed dessert, christmas, celebrations 📜 Origins: Medieval monastery tradition

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