Stovetop Rice Pudding
This is a dish of patience rather than complex technique. By cooking the rice in the dairy, you bypass the need for precooking or heavy thickeners, resulting in a clean, milky base.
Use the right starch for the right texture.
Stick to short-grain or medium-grain white rice. Long-grain rice will remain separate and firm, failing to release the starch required for a cohesive pudding.
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Fine-mesh sieve
What goes in.
- 1/2 cupshort-grain white rice
- 3 cupswhole milk
- 1/4 cupgranulated sugar
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1 pinchfine sea salt
The simmer-and-scrape method
Keep the milk at a gentle tremor, never a rolling boil. Use your wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan every few minutes to prevent a film of scorched milk from forming.
The method.
Rinse the rice
Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear. This removes excess surface starch that can make the pudding gummy rather than creamy.
Combine base
In the saucepan, combine the rice, milk, and salt. Set to medium heat and bring to a very low simmer.
Simmer slowly
Lower the heat to maintain a faint bubble. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains are tender and the milk has reduced into a thick, nappe consistency.
Sweeten and finish
Stir in the sugar and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Rest
Let the pudding sit for 10 minutes before serving. It will thicken significantly as it cools slightly.
Other turns to take.
Citrus Infused
Add a wide strip of lemon or orange peel to the milk while it simmers, removing it before serving.
Spiced
Steep a cinnamon stick in the milk throughout the cooking process.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the pudding becomes too thick, stir in an extra splash of milk to loosen it before serving.
The pudding will continue to set as it chills; if making ahead, prepare it slightly looser than you intend to serve it.
Always add the vanilla off the heat to preserve its aromatic properties.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use brown rice?
Brown rice has a tough outer bran layer that will not release starch properly. It will remain chewy and never achieve the correct pudding consistency.
Why did my milk curdle?
The heat was likely too high. Keep the flame at the absolute minimum required to sustain a simmer.