Rich (Stove-top) Rice Pudding

I haven't posted new recipes for quite some time because I haven't successfully been making anything new or noteworthy but last night I found myself with a taste for rice pudding and a new recipe was born.

Rice pudding is one of those things which I don't crave often but, when I do, I want something creamy and custard-like, not dry and eggy. In the past, I've tried a great many different on-line recipes both on the stove top and in the oven. I've been universally unimpressed so I decided to toss something together for myself. I'm sure this concept is not new though and someone (or many people) out there have nearly identical recipes but it was new to me and, by far, the most successful in making a lovely, decadent dish. It's especially good when cold and makes a great breakfast though it's also good when warm (though not as thick). For those of us in Japan, this is very easy as it uses one two-hundred gram container of pre-cooked rice. We can pick these up almost anywhere in Japan.

Rich Stove-top Rice Pudding:

• 200 grams (~1.5 cups) cooked rice
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2-3 tbls. sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
• dash of salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• cinnamon to taste as garnish (optional)
  

Place the egg yolks in a medium-sized saucepan and pour in the milk. Whisk this mixture until it is smooth. Whisk in the salt, rice, and sugar. It should seem very soupy with far more liquid than rice. Cook over medium heat stirring very frequently. As it starts to thicken, stir it constantly. If it starts to stick to the center of the pan, turn the heat down a little. Once the sauce has reached the thickness of Hershey's chocolate syrup, remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla. It should reach this thickness just before or after it starts to boil. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving if desired.


This makes 2-4 servings depending on whether it's a meal in itself or meant as a dessert. Also, you'll find it's much thicker when cold than when warm so don't panic if it seems a bit soupy at first.