Turkey is famous for it’s wide selection of milk-based desserts and puddings. This baked rice pudding is the cream of the crop and holds a very special place in Turkish cuisine.
The key to making perfect rice pudding is using fresh milk, slow cooking, constant stirring and lots of patience.
The traditional bowl for serving “fırın sütlaç” is a small clay dessert cup that’s glazed on the inside. The pudding is first cooked on the stove, then the clay cups are baked in the oven until the tops are very brown.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
• 38 oz whole milk plus 3 tbsp.
• ½ cup uncooked rice
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
How to prepare:
1. Wash the rice and place it in a large saucepan with enough water to cover it by about ½ inch. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer gently until the rice is soft.
2. Reserve about 1 cup plus 3tbsp of the milk. Add the remaining milk, sugar and vanilla extract to the rice. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it boil very gently for about ten minutes.
3. Using a whisk, mix together the reserved milk and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually add the milk and starch mixture to the hot rice mixture, stirring constantly . Turn up the heat and continue stirring the pudding until scalding.
4. When the pudding thickens, continue to stir and cook about two minutes more. Remove from heat and fill small, ovenproof dessert cups, clay cups or disposable aluminum pudding cups with the hot mixture.
5. Beat the egg yolk with three tablespoons of milk. Using a spoon, drizzle a small amount of the egg yolk mixture in the center of each dessert cup. With the back of the spoon, use a light, circular motion to swirl the egg yolk from the center to the edges so it spreads evenly over the top of each cup.
6. Bake the puddings in a 360° F/180° C oven until the tops are nicely browned. Let the cups cool at room temperature then refrigerate for several hours before serving.
