If you enjoyed custard and rice pudding as a child, you'll love this recipe for baked rice pudding, known in Turkey as fırın sütlaç (fur-UHN' soot-LAHCH'). Turkey is famous for its wide selection of milk-based desserts and puddings, and baked rice pudding is the cream of the crop. It holds a very special place in this country's cuisine—you'll find that it's made in every home and served in every Turkish restaurant.
Adults and kids alike love baked rice pudding, which can be a healthy dessert choice after a big meal. It's best when made with fresh whole milk and chilled several hours before serving. Some Turkish folks still go out of their way to seek out fresh, unpasteurized milk to make fırın sütlaç. It's said that the tricks to making perfect rice pudding are fresh milk, slow cooking, constant stirring, and lots of patience.
Ingredients
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2 cups uncooked white rice
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1 to 2 cups water, or enough to cover rice
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4 3/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons whole milk, divided
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1 cup granulated sugar
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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2 tablespoons cornstarch
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1 large egg yolk
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.
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In a large saucepan, add the rice and enough water to cover it by about 1/2 inch.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Let the rice simmer gently until it's softened, about 5 minutes.
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Add 3 3/4 cups of the milk along with the sugar and vanilla extract to the rice. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it boil very gently for about 10 minutes.
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In a small bowl, use a whisk to mix 1 cup of the milk and the cornstarch until smooth.
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While stirring, gradually pour the milk-cornstarch mixture into the rice.
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Turn up the heat and continue stirring the pudding until scalding, about 4 to 5 minutes.
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When the pudding thickens, continue to stir, and cook for about 2 minutes more.
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Remove from the heat and fill small, ovenproof dessert cups, clay cups, or disposable aluminum pudding cups with the hot mixture.
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In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the remaining 3 tablespoons of milk.
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Using a spoon, drizzle a small amount of the egg-milk mixture into the center of each dessert cup.
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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.
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Bake the pudding cups until the tops are nicely browned, about 20 minutes.
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Let the cups cool at room temperature and then refrigerate for several hours before serving. Enjoy.
Tips
- You can make this recipe with equal amounts of canned coconut milk to make it a non-dairy pudding.
- You can also add raisins or ground cinnamon if you like, but it's not necessary.
How to Store and Freeze Turkish Baked Rice Pudding
This pudding will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days; just make sure it's covered tightly. It will also keep for at least three months in the freezer. You can freeze it right in its individual pudding cups, wrapped in a couple of layers of plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Defrost in the refrigerator and serve.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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393 | Calories |
6g | Fat |
74g | Carbs |
9g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 to 8 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 393 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 6g | 8% |
Saturated Fat 3g | 16% |
Cholesterol 61mg | 20% |
Sodium 78mg | 3% |
Total Carbohydrate 74g | 27% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
Total Sugars 33g | |
Protein 9g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
Calcium 180mg | 14% |
Iron 1mg | 4% |
Potassium 249mg | 5% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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