Special Creamy Rice Pudding (Arroz con Leche Especial)

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Steps

1. 1
   Make the spice infusion: combine orange zest (8g), lemon zest (4g), 2 star anise, 3g cloves, and 10g cinnamon stick with 600ml water. Bring to a boil, then either reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, or turn off immediately and cover with cling film to steep until cooled — both methods extract full flavor.

   Tip: When peeling zest, take only the colored outer layer — the white pith is bitter. The colored layer holds all the essential oils.

   ~10 min
2. 2
   Wash 250g of high-starch white rice well under cold water, then drain. Choose a rice that appears whitish with visible starch content — the more starch, the creamier the final pudding.

   Tip: Washing removes external dust and absorbed odors from storage, at the cost of some surface starch — a worthwhile trade-off for cleanliness. The remaining internal starch still provides the creamy texture.

   ~3 min
3. 3
   Place the washed rice in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add 1 liter of milk. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring from the start. Once boiling, reduce to minimum heat — do not cover. Stir every 2 minutes throughout cooking to prevent sticking and to keep the starch releasing into the milk.

   Tip: Never add sugar at this stage — sugar prevents the rice grains from swelling and absorbing liquid. If you add sugar now, the rice will never reach the creamy texture even after an hour of cooking.

   ~5 min
4. 4
   After 10 minutes of simmering, strain the spice infusion through a fine sieve and add the infused liquid to the pot of rice and milk. Continue stirring every 2 minutes. Cook on minimum heat for a total of at least 30 minutes from when you started.

   ~20 min
5. 5
   After 30 minutes of cooking (the rice will have thickened considerably), add 225g white sugar, 20g butter, one small teaspoon of vanilla extract, and one can of evaporated milk. Stir well to combine. Continue cooking on minimum heat.

   Tip: Butter enhances the dairy flavor and gives a glossy finish. Vanilla adds aromatic depth. Evaporated milk can be substituted with heavy cream (nata) for an even richer result.

   ~5 min
6. 6
   Blanch the egg yolks: separate 5 yolks into a bowl. Whisk vigorously until they become pale, thick, and significantly increased in volume. Temper them by adding small spoonfuls of the hot rice pudding to the yolks while whisking, gradually raising their temperature before adding them to the pot.

   Tip: The blanching (blanqueo) technique prevents the yolks from forming egg strands when they hit the hot liquid. It also reduces salmonella risk by raising the temperature of the eggs gradually. The pudding must come to a boil after adding the yolks to fully cook them.

   ~5 min
7. 7
   Add the tempered yolk mixture to the pot of rice pudding, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil — this single boil is essential to cook the yolks and eliminate any raw egg flavor or bacteria. Once it boils, immediately turn off the heat. Optionally add 30ml pisco or white rum at this point.

   Tip: Do not skip the final boil after adding the yolks — it is a food safety step as much as a flavor step.

   ~5 min
8. 8
   Let the rice pudding rest 10 minutes to cool slightly and thicken further. Serve in 6-ounce cups or small bowls. Do not serve while still boiling — a skin will form and detract from presentation. Dust with cinnamon powder for the classic version. For the elevated version: dust with sugar and brulée with a torch to create a caramelized crust.

   Tip: The pudding continues to thicken as it cools. Serve at room temperature or cold from the refrigerator — Victor recommends cold as his preferred serving temperature.

   ~10 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Victor Heredia

ARROZ CON LECHE ESPECIAL, CREMOSO y DELICIOSO (SPECIAL RICE PUDDING, CREAMY and DELICIOUS)

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