the fever is for rice pudding and the wish for snow comes from my morning drive today. i can’t take credit for the title, i have to hand that to sam beam…who breaks my heart (in that good, tender, beautiful way…you know what i mean) every time i listen to his music.
but, i digress, lets talk about the rice pudding and the sugar play that commenced after my drive. this morning i drove halfway across the desert to meet my mom and trade cars ( i lost my car key in utah! and had to have a new one made, so i borrowed my mom’s car for the week). i went by myself–which was nice, since sometimes i like to be alone with my thoughts…and so i can sing unabashedly to my favorite songs (enter sb and rocky). in the car i decided i would make a spoon dessert, something comforting and warmly spiced, and i have been thinking about rice pudding for a long time. longer than is probably normal and sane. then, i started thinking about the arroz con leche creme brulee that aran made a while back, so i thought i’d do that. when i got home i realized i didn’t have any turbinado sugar and since i was feeling adventurous i decided to play with some cinnamon sugar.
after the sugar came into the picture i nearly forgot about the creamy, wonderfully lovely rice pudding. the sugar, as i was photographing it, began to remind me of snowflakes and icicles and bare tree branches and i realized i really, really want it to snow already…just for the holidays. plus, i took these photos in the late afternoon and they are kind of dark and cold looking, which makes me want to have a crackling fire to sit by and a blanket to cuddle up in and some snow on the ground to hide away from. i know, i know, i will be cursing the snow the minute it melts in the nevada sun and freezes into a thin layer of death on the roads in the evening, but i can’t help it. i love a white christmas.
anyway…thank you sam and aran for the inspiration and helen for the recipes.
rice pudding
adapted from the wonderful helen of tartlette.
3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 oz rice
1 vanilla bean
1 oz. butter
1 egg, beaten lightly
in a medium sauce pan combine milk, sugar, cinnamon, rice, and vanilla bean (scraped, with pod added). cook over medium until rice is tender. remove from the heat and quickly whisk in egg and butter. return to heat and cook over med-low for a few more minutes until thickened. divide into serving cups and chill…or not.
sugar fun!
also adapted from helen…thanks again.
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp corn syrup
3 tbsp water
add sugar, syrup and water to a pan. bring to a boil and cook until thermometer reaches 300F.
from here i basically swirled in the cinnamon and poured everything onto a parchment line baking sheet and with chopsticks i swirled the sugar onto a plate in a circular motion. it was fun times.
Tartelette
Wow!! I need some…I am reading mails with about 15 tissues around me…stuffy head, runny nose…and this would be exactly what my mamie would make to make me feel better (or bread pudding).
Your whole post made me feel better actually!
Thank you!
Aran
wow… it looks so good cindy! rice pudding or arroz con leche is my favorite dessert for sure. i want some to!
flutterbyblue
This looks delicious! I love the spun sugar on top!
Dawn
another gorgeous creation here…love that sugar creation on top!
Bonbon Oiseau
wow! this looks amazing–yI am so impressed! you are so good! i’m getting on a plane for nevada right now so start spinning more sugar lady…oh how i wish…
Kevin
Rice pudding is one of my new found favorite desserts. I like the sugar lattice!
Jude
The sugar topping looks so impressive. Gotta learn how to make that stuff for that extra little something on desserts
Ingrid
Oh, man you’re on a roll! Arroz con leche is the one dessert I clearly and fondly remembering my grandma making. Loved it!
Your spun sugar came out wonderful! Impressive and I can see where thoughts of a white winter would come from.
~ingrid
Ivy
I really, Really love your sugar snowflakes!
and your rice pudding sounds delish. I’ll have to make some now that the chill is on. 🙂