Vanilla citrus rice pudding

A generous, creamy rice pudding, held together by vanilla then brightened with citrus zest to stay mild, clean and very easy to serve.

What we want here is a very comforting home dessert, but with more lightness and better structure than a heavy rice pudding. The vanilla builds the base, the citrus lightens the finish.

Ingredients

Creamy base

  • 180 g short-grain dessert rice
  • 900 ml whole milk
  • 150 ml full-fat cream
  • 90 g sugar
  • 1 Bourbon vanilla bean
  • 1 untreated orange
  • 1 untreated lemon
  • 1 pinch fine salt

Method

  1. Heat the milk with the vanilla (8 min)
    Heat the milk and cream with the split bean, its seeds and a few strips of orange and lemon zest.
  2. Cook the rice gently (30 min)
    Add the rice and cook over low heat, stirring regularly, until the texture is supple and creamy.
  3. Sweeten and adjust the texture (5 min)
    Add the sugar and a pinch of salt at the end of cooking, then adjust with a little milk if needed.
  4. Finish and serve (2 min)
    Serve warm or cold with a little vanilla sugar and, if you like, a touch of vanilla caviar.

What creates the balance

The vanilla brings the base, the zests brighten the dessert and the rice keeps a soft, simple and very comforting texture.

Mistakes to avoid

Do not push the cooking too far and do not overdo the citrus. The dessert must stay round, creamy and very clear.

Serving

Serve warm, cool or well chilled, with a light finish to keep a clean read of the vanilla.

Tips

  • Cooking: Keep the heat gentle to prevent a thick skin or an overcooked taste from taking over.
  • Finish: The citrus should just wake up the dessert, never cover the vanilla.

Recommended Vanille Désiré products

The bean holds the infusion, the vanilla sugar rounds out the dessert and the caviar can sign the bowl at the last moment for a more precious finish.

FAQ

Can you make it the day before?
Yes, it holds very well in the fridge and can be loosened with a little milk before serving.
Can you leave out the cream?
Yes, but the cream helps keep a rounder, silkier result.

Sources