DESSERT
RICE PUDDING
Called gateau de riz, this creamy cake-like rice pudding is traditionally cooked for hours near an open fire. This version is baked in an oven and caramelized. Serve with crème anglaise (custard sauce), if desired.
• 1/3 cup raisins
• ¼ cup dark rum
• 6 cups milk
• 1 cup short grain rice (such as Italian Arborio)
• 1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 4 eggs, separated
Soak raisins in rum in a bowl for 1 hour. Combine milk, rice, ½ cup sugar and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice absorbs all the liquid, about 1 hour. Remove from heat, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into rice and discard pod. Cool rice to room temperature.
Pour 1 cup of the sugar into a skillet, shaking the skillet so the sugar spreads evenly, and place over medium-high heat. Cook without stirring, until sugar begins to melt, about 2 minutes, then stir with a wooden spoon until golden and just beginning to foam, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully pour into a 9-inch baking pan, then working quickly before caramel hardens, tilt to coat bottom and sides of the pan.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir egg yolks and raisins (discarding rum) into the rice mixture. Beat egg whites until foamy with an electric mixer. Sprinkle in remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, continue to beat until soft peaks form, then fold into rice mixture. Transfer to caramelized pan, set in a shallow baking pan filled with water halfway up the sides, and bake until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool slightly in pan, then turn out onto a platter and serve. Serve 8-10.
Source:Saveur Cooks Authentic French by the editors of Saveur Magazine, (Chronicle Books, 1999).
Per serving: 426 calories (18 percent from fat), 8.6 g fat (4.2 g saturated, 2.5 g monounsaturated), 124.1 mg cholesterol, 10.9 g protein, 72.7 g carbohydrates, 0.9 g fiber, 109.3 mg sodium.
