Ingredients:

  • 4 cups (950 ml) Whole Milk (Full Fat), reserving 1/4 cup (60 ml)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Double Cream (Heavy Cream)
  • 6 oz (170 g) Arborio Rice (or Pudding Rice), rinsed well
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
  • 1 large Vanilla Bean, split and scraped
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Lemon Zest, finely grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1.2 ml) Pinch of Salt
  • 4 large Egg Yolks, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) Cornflour (Corn Starch)
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) Reserved Cold Milk

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
  2. Combine the 950ml of milk (excluding the reserved cold portion), heavy cream, sugar, salt, scraped vanilla seeds and pod, and lemon zest in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  3. Once simmering, add the rinsed rice. Reduce the heat immediately to the lowest setting possible to maintain a very gentle simmer.
  4. Cook for 50–60 minutes, stirring every 5–10 minutes, ensuring you scrape the bottom to prevent scorching. The rice should be tender and the mixture thick and creamy. Remove the vanilla bean pod.
  5. Prepare the Custard Mixture: In a heatproof bowl, whisk the 4 room-temperature egg yolks and cornflour vigorously until pale and smooth. Whisk in the reserved 1/4 cup (60ml) of cold milk until fully combined into a thick paste.
  6. Temper the Yolks: Scoop about 1 cup (240ml) of the hot rice/milk mixture and slowly stream it into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This gradually raises the temperature of the yolks without cooking them.
  7. Return to Pot: Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining rice pudding.
  8. Thicken the Custard: Return the pan to low heat. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring continuously with a rubber spatula. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Cook until the pudding visibly thickens and coats the back of the spatula.
  9. Strain (Optional): For absolute silky smoothness, push the entire pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean serving bowl.
  10. Cool and Set: Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm immediately, or chill completely in the refrigerator (at least 4 hours) for a denser, set consistency.