This Dominican Arroz con leche, our popular rice pudding, has a wonderful creamy texture and heavenly mix of spices. Enjoy it now with this foolproof recipe with video.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Feb 1, 2003
❝ This rice pudding was a huge hit at my house. Sooo delicious! ... ❞
Why we ❤️ it
Arroz con Leche se quiere casar / Con una viudita de la capital / Que sepa tejer, que sepa bordar / Que ponga la aguja en el mismo lugar.
- Children's rhyme
Dominican-style Arroz con Leche is one of the most popular and simple-to-make desserts in the Dominican Republic. To the naked eye, it could look like any same old rice pudding, but once you taste it, you can't fail to notice the touch of spices that make the flavor in our Arroz con Dulce so different, in a good way.
Arroz con dulce or Arroz con dulce
In the Dominican Republic, Arroz con leche is also known as Arroz con dulce, to differentiate it from a savory rice pudding version that is also relatively popular. This is the recipe for the traditional Dulce de leche, but if you want to try other versions, check these interesting versions:
Arroz con leche or arroz con dulce.
How to serve
Arroz con leche is most commonly served chilled, though some people (including me) do enjoy it warm or at room temperature.
This is the perfect dessert to end a Dominican lunch meal.
Top tips
- Consistency: Each person seems to have a favorite consistency for this dish. I prefer this (the rice is very soft and the pudding is very creamy). Later on, when preparing this dish again, you can adjust the liquids to obtain the consistency you prefer.
- Leftovers: You can store leftover arroz con leche in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to two days. If it has dried out when you remove it from the fridge, stir in cold milk by the tablespoon until it returns to your preferred consistency.
- Other flavors: Some people add vanilla, some add lime zest to their arroz con leche, you can try those out, but that wasn't part of my family recipe.
- Condensed milk: Some people use sweetened condensed milk to sweeten arroz con leche instead of sugar; you can try that too.
About our recipe
This is my favorite combination for arroz con leche (or arroz con dulce), you may adapt it to your own personal taste, and I give suggestions for doing that in the recipe notes.
This is an adaptation of mami's recipe, and it's very close to most recipes everywhere in our country.
Video
Recipe
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Arroz con Leche [Video+Recipe] Spiced Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 6 cloves
- 4 cinnamon sticks, (or 1½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon)
- 6 cup water, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup sugar (white, granulated)
- ¼ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly-grated)
- Cherries for decoration, for decoration (optional)
Instructions
1. Soak the rice
💡 Do not rinse the rice, we need the starch to make creamy arroz con leche.In a medium saucepan or pot (1 gal [4 lt]), soak the rice, cloves, and cinnamon sticks in 2 cups of water and let sit for a couple of hours.⚠️ Letting the rice rest to soak some of the water is optional, and it's my own method for making creamier arroz con leche.
2. Combine
- When the 2 hours have passed, add the remaining 4 cups of water.Add in the rice (including the water in which it was soaking, cinnamon and cloves). Add the salt.
3. Simmer
- Cook over medium temperature and stir regularly to avoid sticking. When the rice is tender (15-20 mins) add milk and sugar.When it breaks a boil again, add the raisins.Cook over low heat until the mixture reaches a pudding-like consistency. Stir often to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
4. Cool and chill
- Remove from the heat. Remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks. Add the butter and mix well.Cover and let it cool down to room temperature.Stir to incorporate the crust that forms during cooling.💡 Some people like their Arroz con leche warm or at room temperature. Try it to see if you like it.
5. Serve
- Serve in small bowls and sprinkle with the nutmeg.Decorate with the cherries (optional.)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More rice recipes
Rice is the staple of our cuisine, and we have many wonderful rice recipes in our blog. If you want to make a dessert inspired by this one, don't miss these rice pudding popsicles. We love Pera piña, a nutritional, refreshing drink.
You'll love any of our Moro rice, this lovely corn and rice recipe, the popular Locrio de salami and Locrio de longaniza, and, of course, our beloved Dominican rice and concón.
Throughout the world
Arroz con leche --rice pudding in English-- is truly a nearly universal dish. It is made in many ways and with varying ingredients throughout the world. This arroz con leche recipe is just one of the many Hispanic rice pudding recipes.
Different countries may use different combinations of ingredients, but the basis will be rice, milk, sugar, and some spices.
In Denmark, a country where I have spent a lot of time, Rice Pudding is a Christmas tradition, and it's called Risalamande. It's prepared with cream, instead of whole milk, and served as part of the traditional Christmas Eve dinner.
Other types of arroz con leche are Mexican rice pudding, Rice Pudding with Coconut Brûlée, Portuguese Rice Pudding (Arroz Doce), Spanish Arroz con Leche.
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