Ingredients:

  • 150g Medium grain white rice (Arborio or Calrose)
  • 475ml Whole milk
  • 240ml Heavy cream
  • 65g Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 14g Unsalted butter

Instructions:

  1. Combine the 150g of rice, 475ml of milk, 240ml of cream, 65g of sugar, and salt in your saucepan. Starting with cold milk allows the rice to hydrate slowly as the temperature rises. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat until small bubbles break the surface. Never let it reach a rolling boil or the milk will curdle and the rice will shatter.
  2. Reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes, stirring frequently with a spatula. You are looking for the rice to be tender but still holding its shape.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk. Slowly drizzle in a half cup of the hot rice mixture while whisking constantly. This raises the yolk's temperature slowly so it doesn't scramble.
  4. Pour the tempered yolk back into the main pot and stir for 2 minutes until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. The residual heat will finish the thickening process.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in the 14g of butter, vanilla bean paste, and cinnamon. Adding these at the end preserves their volatile flavor compounds.
  6. Transfer the pudding to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. This prevents a tough skin from forming as it cools.
  7. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. The pudding will continue to thicken significantly as the starches cool and gel.