My husband’s Birthday is coming up later this month and he is one of those people that doesn’t like cake. His favourite dessert is Mexican rice pudding called Arroz con Leche. This is his request every year and it took my quite a few attempts and variations to the recipe to get it just right. You can make a big batch of it in the refrigerator and serve it for dessert, as a snack or even a quick breakfast when you are in a hurry. You don’t need sugar because it is sweetened with the condensed milk. You also don’t need many ingredients so it is perfect for our EC Montreal students who may be on a budget or share a kitchen with homestay hosts or roommates.
For my version of Arroz con Leche, you will need the following ingredients:
– 7 cups of water
– 1 cup of white rice (rinsed)
– 2 cinnamon sticks
– 1 can of evaporated milk
– 1 can of condensed milk
– 1 cup of half and half (or whole milk if you prefer)
– Cinnamon
– A cup of raisins
You should first start by rinsing your rice to remove the excess starch. Add your water, rice and cinnamon sticks to a large saucepan and cook on medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low and cook for approximately 15 to 18 minutes.
Drain the water from the saucepan and remove the cinnamon sticks. Put the rice back in the pot and add all three milks. Keep the temperature on medium-low and stir it frequently so the milk and rice does not burn. Stirring it often will also ensure that the mixture thickens and becomes a creamy consistency. Add the raisins. After the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
Pour the mixture into a bowl or small individual serving bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon and any other toppings you enjoy. I have tried coconut sprinkles and extra dried fruit. My husband likes his rice pudding really cold, so it goes right into the fridge until it is as cold as ice cream! Some prefer it warm like oatmeal.
I hope you will give this recipe a try and let us know the results!
We will be posting this recipe on Microsoft Teams where you can access your French virtual lessons.