Baked Rice Pudding with Breadcrumbs
Description
Baked Rice Pudding is as delicious as it sounds, but this gratin-style sweet rice pudding is way more fancy with golden, crunchy bites of bread on top, yes, not the classic one you know, but it is rich and creamy and could be the best rice pudding recipe ever, and a one most requested dessert from family and friends. Cooked on the stovetop and then baked in the oven and served with orange blossom scented sugar syrup.
Equipment
- Pot
- casserole
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Baked Rice Pudding
- 1 cup short-grain rice
- 1½ cups water
- 8 cups whole milk: Whole milk with 3.5% milk fat is ideal for the creamiest results. For best results avoid milk with less than 2% fat
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground mastic gum: Optional but highly recommended for its distinctive, aromatic flavor. You can substitute it with ½ teaspoon vanilla sugar.
- 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
- 1 teaspoon butter: For greasing the baking dish or individual ramekins.
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs: For a golden crunchy topping. Alternatively, make your own homemade breadcrumbs by following the instructions in the recipe notes below.
Ingredients for the Orange Blossom Sugar Syrup
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 teaspoons orange blossom water
Instructions
To make the sugar syrup:
- In a saucepan set over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice. Stir the mixture gently with a wooden spoon until the sugar completely dissolves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, uncovered, for 7 minutes.
- Infuse the mixture with the orange blossom water, allowing it to simmer gently for one final minute.
- Set aside to cool completely.
To make the rice pudding:
- Rinse the rice under cold running water and drain well. Transfer it to a pot, add the water, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender and fully cooked. If a thin, slightly browned crust forms at the bottom of the pot, carefully transfer the fluffier top rice to another stockpot
- Return the pot to the stovetop over medium-low heat. Working with ½ cup at a time, gradually add the milk to the rice, stirring continuously until each addition is fully absorbed. Repeat this process, adding the remaining milk a ½ cup at a time, until all 8 cups of milk have been incorporated”
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir until the mixture is homogenous, continuing to cook until the cream is fully absorbed. Stir in the orange blossom water and mix well. This gradual process takes about 30 minutes for the rice to absorb all the dairy. At this stage, the mixture should have the consistency of a thick soup. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
- Generously butter an ovenproof dish or individual ramekins, then evenly coat the base with half of the breadcrumbs. Spoon the rice pudding into the prepared dish or ramekins, spreading it evenly, and finish by sprinkling the remaining breadcrumbs over the surface
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the surface of the rice pudding develops a delicate golden-brown crust. Serve warm or at room temperature. Please note that the pudding will continue to thicken as it rests. For a step-by-step visual guide, refer to the detailed video tutorial.
Video
Notes
To Make the Breadcrumbs from Scratch: Preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Slice five pieces of white bread (as used in this recipe) and arrange them directly on the oven racks. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the bread is completely dry, crisp, and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the slices to cool on a wire rack. Transfer the cooled bread to a food processor and pulse until fine, even crumbs form.
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