Rice Pudding (Milchreis)

Cozy! Comforting! Creamy!

Below you’ll find a recipe for a classic rice pudding: creamy, comforting and oh so cozy in the colder months. It’s not particularly popular in Canada but in Germany, we all grow up eating and loving it. Even the packaged version from the grocery store is excellent. You can dress your finished rice pudding with toasted nuts, fruit - fresh or stewed - or jam but really, my go-to has always been cinnamon sugar and a tiny pinch of salt. Guten Appetit!

Makes: about 5-6 portions

Ingredients:

• 150g arborio rice (or other shortgrain rice)

• 850ml whole milk

• 250ml heavy cream

• 50g granulated sugar

• 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste (or half a vanilla pod)

• Pinch of salt

• Optional add-ins: cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick, lemon or orange peel (pref. organic), star anise

Instructions:

1. Rinse rice under cold water until water starts to run clear.

2. Add rice a big pot along with milk, cream, sugar, vanilla paste (or pod), salt and any optional add-ins. Bring to a boil and then simmer, partially covered, for 30-40 minutes over low heat.

   Stir occasionally to begin with and quite often towards the end to prevent the rice pudding from sticking to your pot. When it’s done, the rice should be tender but not mushy. Fish out any add-ins.

3. Serve rice pudding warm or refrigerate and eat cold. Feel free to stir in a little extra milk or cream to your finished rice pudding to get the texture you like.