Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup (150g) short-grain rice, such as Arborio or pudding rice
  • 4 cups (950ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (100ml) heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: knobs of butter

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla bean (and seeds), nutmeg, and salt.
  3. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes. The rice should be tender, and the pudding should have thickened considerably.
  4. Once the pudding is cooked, remove the vanilla bean. If using vanilla extract, stir it in now.
  5. Dot the top of the pudding generously with knobs of butter, or press a piece of buttered parchment paper directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
  6. Serve warm, either directly from the pot or portioned into individual bowls.