risotto rice pudding

My husband and oldest daughter love rice pudding. Cha would bring that to school everyday for snack if she could. Her eyes actually light up when I tell her I made some. It's a treat for them both, because I don't make it often. The fact that I actually make rice pudding for them is strong proof of my love. It takes forever! It's hands-on forever too! And it smells so good. I want to like it. But I just don't. I don't like creamy rice. It's a texture thing.

Although it takes a good hour of stirring to make, at least it makes a lot. It says 4 to 6 servings, but I say it makes way more than that. It's not like you're going to eat a cup and half of the stuff. It's more involved than recipes that call for leftover rice, but it's the only recipe I use, because it's just so decadent. A real treat. Whole milk. Real vanilla. Sugar. Cream. Egg yolks. Oh yeah, rice too! It's not rice pudding that you can find on a grocery store shelf. The real deal.

I topped this serving with fresh pineapples that I sautéed in butter and brown sugar. Just a hint of acidity and bright, fresh flavor to balance out the creaminess of the rice pudding. If I were to eat the stuff, it would totally have to be doused in dulce de leche or something like that. Pineapples are a bit healthier.

The recipe is from the book Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O'Connor. This book is a must for dessert lovers. Her recipes are over the top. Soooo bad for you. Soooo expensive to make. Definitely not everyday dessert kind of recipes, but if you're looking for an outrageous dessert for a special occasion, Jill O'Connor is your gal. I found a copy of the rice pudding on the internet already, so I guess it's ok to copy here? I'm new at this. I don't know the rules...

Risotto rice pudding

½ cup Arborio (risotto) rice
8 cups whole milk
½ cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
2 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
~ Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Combine the rice, milk, sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon, and salt in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every 5 minutes as the mixture starts to thicken, for about 30 minutes.
Continue cooking until the rice is tender but not too mushy, about 15 minutes longer. The milk will be thick and the rice tender, but the mixture will still be very soupy, which is what you want. (As the pudding cools, it thickens, and if it is too thick while still hot, it will firm up into a thick, stodgy lump without the unctuous creaminess of a great rice pudding.)
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and cream together and stir into the rice pudding. Continue cooking the pudding over medium-low heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the eggs are cooked through and pudding is creamy and glossy, but still fairly soupy. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Grate a little nutmeg, if you like, into the pudding. Remove the vanilla pod.
Pour the pudding into a serving bowl or individual serving dishes and press plastic wrap over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 to 3 hours. Serve cold.