One of my favorite Latin desserts, is Nicaraguan Arroz con Leche. While almost every Latin American country has their own version. This rice pudding recipe is so creamy and perfectly sweet. I add a variety of warm, earthy spices to really enhance the flavor.
Boil the Rice
The first step of Nicaraguan Arroz con Leche is boiling the rice in your choice of aromatics. This step sets the tone and flavor of the rice pudding. You don’t want to go plain, since the rice is boiled in unsweetened water. I prefer using multiple aromatics to really boost the flavor of the rice. My favorite aromatics are:
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- All-Spice
- Cardamom
- Vanilla bean
The specific recipe includes Cinnamon, Vanilla Bean and Clove, but feel free to customize this to your desired taste. Begin, by rinsing the rice under cold water, until the cloudiness turns clear. Then in a large pot, add in the washed rice with water and the aromatics. Last step is to bring the water to a boil. Make sure you boil the water after adding the rice, NOT before!
Make it Creamy
Once the rice absorbs the water, lower the heat and remove the aromatics. The second step in this rice pudding recipe is about creating a creamy base. Some Latin American countries use condensed or evaporated milk as their creamy element. However in Nicaraguan Arroz con Leche, standard milk is typically used.
To the partially cooked rice, add warm milk in small batches, along with your desired amount of sugar. I recommend completing this step in stages in order to control the amount of sweetness and the overall consistency. This process is done over low heat; which allows the rice to slowly simmer and soak the milk until it is perfectly tender.
As a final touch, sprinkle some ground cinnamon on top and enjoy warm!
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Nicaraguan Arroz Con Leche
Ingredients
- 3 cups of water
- 1 cup of white long grain rice
- 3 cups of whole milk
- 1 cup of white sugar
- 1 large stick of cinnamon
- 1 pod of vanilla bean
- 3 cloves
- Ground cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
- Add water and rice in a deep sauce pot on high heat. Bring rice to a boil.
- Next add cinnamon, cloves and any other desired spices. Allow them to steep.
- Once water is absorbed, remove spices and lower heat.
- Next add desired amounts of warm milk and sugar.
- Leave mixture simmering on low heat until pudding reaches desired doneness. About 30 minutes or until rice is tender and milk is creamy.
- Serve with ground cinnamon and enjoy!
