Portuguese Rice Custard (Printable Format)

Creamy custard with tender rice simmered in milk, finished with caramelized cinnamon-sugar crust.

# What You Need:

→ Rice & Dairy

01 - 1 cup short-grain rice
02 - 4 cups whole milk
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Flavorings

06 - 1 lemon peel, in large strips, white pith removed
07 - 1 cinnamon stick
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Eggs

10 - 4 large egg yolks

→ Topping

11 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine the rice, whole milk, heavy cream, lemon peel strips, cinnamon stick, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
02 - Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice becomes tender and the mixture thickens considerably. Remove and discard the lemon peel and cinnamon stick.
03 - Stir in the granulated sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves and the butter melts.
04 - Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl. Gradually ladle small amounts of the hot rice mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, to warm the yolks without scrambling them.
05 - Return the warmed yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, for 2 to 3 minutes until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
06 - Pour the custard evenly into individual ramekins or a large shallow serving dish.
07 - Mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the surface of the custard.
08 - Allow the rice custard to cool completely to room temperature. Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly silky, somewhere between a pudding and a custard, with tender rice grains that still have something to say when you bite them
  • That broiled cinnamon sugar crust creates this incredible crackle that shatters against your spoon like a thin sheet of caramelized glass
  • It travels beautifully and actually tastes better the next day, making it the ultimate make ahead dessert for feeding a crowd
02 -
  • Tempering the eggs properly is non negotiable, otherwise youll end up with sweet scrambled rice instead of a smooth custard
  • Low and slow is the mantra for the final cooking stage, because high heat will break the custard and ruin the silky texture
  • The custard continues thickening as it cools, so remove it from the heat when it still looks slightly looser than you want the final product to be
03 -
  • A microplane makes the quick work of creating lemon strips without any bitter pith, which can make the entire dessert taste unpleasantly sharp
  • Room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly, so take them out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you start cooking
  • If you only have long grain rice, reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes and expect a slightly less creamy final texture

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