Rice Pudding Cuban Style: An Easy, Traditional Tropical Cuban & Cuban, American Dish.
Rice pudding is a sweet and creamy dessert that’s been enjoyed around the world for centuries. The method of cooking rice pudding has changed little over time, but today we’re going to be cooking a Cuban version that includes vanilla beans and cinnamon. It makes an excellent breakfast or snack food and can be served hot or cold.
What is Rice Pudding
Rice pudding is a creamy, warm dessert made with rice and milk. It’s usually served hot and topped with cinnamon or sweetened condensed milk.
There are two types of rice that you can use to make rice pudding: long grain white rice or short grain white rice. Short grain rices, like Arborio and Carolina rices, are high in starch so they absorb the liquid slowly and release their starch into the liquid making your pudding more creamy. Long grain rices don’t have as much starch so they won’t produce as creamy of a consistency if used alone.
Rice pudding can be flavored with many things including cinnamon (the traditional Cuban way), vanilla extract or even ground coffee! You can also add raisins or other dried fruit if desired!
Ingredients
1 cup of rice
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the rice, water, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
- Remove from heat and stir in the milk and cream until combined well; cover with a lid for about 5 minutes so that it can absorb some of their flavors
Directions
- Bring the milk to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Add the rice and sugar, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (the pudding will be slightly soupy).
- Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon powder/cinnamon stick to taste (this should be added at this point if you don’t want any chunks of cinnamon or vanilla beans in your pudding).
- Let cool completely before serving with fresh fruit or whipped cream on top if desired!
Cooking Tips
Cooking this rice pudding is pretty simple. You can use a saucepan to whisk everything together, and then bring it to a boil over medium, high heat. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to stir frequently. Cook until the rice is tender and thickened (about 30 minutes). Once done, mix in sugar and vanilla extract before pouring into bowls for serving. For best results, refrigerate until chilled before serving!
Easy to make a Rice Pudding Cuban Style.
Ok, so you’ve made rice pudding. Now what?
First and foremost, keep in mind that this is an easy recipe, so don’t be scared to make it your own! Everyone has their own way of doing things. Here’s a list of some optional but recommended steps:
- Non, stick pan , You can use a regular saucepan or pot if you choose not to go non, stick, but we like how easy it makes getting the cooked rice out of the pan. Plus they come in pretty colors!
- Wooden spoon/spatula , We prefer wooden spoons and spatulas because they’re easier on our stainless steel pots and pans than metal ones are (they can leave scratch marks). For this particular recipe though there’s no need for an expensive set; just grab whatever old utensils you already have lying around!
Add, ins and Variations
- Add cinnamon
- Add raisins
- Add vanilla extract
- Add fresh fruit, like strawberries or mangoes. If you want to go tropical, try bananas (they’re pretty much a staple in most Cuban desserts). You can also use canned fruit if you are pressed for time. Just make sure your fruit is ripe enough to eat without being cooked first!
Satisfy your sweet tooth while staying on a budget.
Rice pudding is a simple dessert that can be made with just a few ingredients. Rice pudding is also a budget, friendly dessert, which makes it the perfect treat for when you’re watching your wallet and looking for something sweet.
If you’re looking for an easy way to impress your friends, try making rice pudding together! This recipe makes enough for four people, and the cooking time is only about 30 minutes total. The best part? You get to share this tasty treat with whoever joins in on the fun!
Rice pudding is a comforting dessert that can be customized to suit your tastes. The traditional recipe calls for milk, sugar and vanilla extract as the main ingredients. I’ve added a few twists of my own by using condensed milk instead of regular milk, but feel free to experiment with different flavors like cinnamon or nutmeg if you prefer more spice over sweetness in your desserts!
