Chilean rice pudding or “Arroz con Leche” is a recipe with many versions in Latino America. The kind of rice changes and the species. In Chile, cinnamon and cloves are the favorites. In the Caribbean, coconut milk replaces cow milk, so many options and flavor profiles exist.
In Chile, many desserts are cow milk-based, like Semolina pudding, “Leche Asada” or roasted milk, flan, “Leche Nevada” or floating island, and many more. Before refrigeration was accessible in Chile, cooking fresh cow milk into desserts was an effective way to preserve it and get the kids to consume more milk.
All these desserts are popular and frequently offered in cafeterias and school lunches. They are comfort food. You can serve them warm in winter and cold in summer.
Many times Chilean rice pudding is served with fresh fruit or fruit sauces. Berries are popular, but also cooked winter fruits like apples and quince. Quince is a great topping, and I can imagine rhubarb being great too.
I’m not a fan of cow milk desserts or Chilean rice pudding, but I was certainly the exception more than the rule compared to most Chilean kids.
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Arroz con leche Chilean Rice Pudding
A traditional Chilean dessert.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup long-grain rice
- 2 cloves
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 1/3 cup sugar
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the milk over medium heat, add the cloves and the cinnamon stick.
- Meanwhile, wash the rice in a colander under cold running water until the water runs clear.
- Add the rice to the milk pot and start stirring. The idea is to cook the rice for 30 minutes until it is fully cooked and the milk has been reduced by half more or less. You do not have to stir all the time, but I stay in the kitchen and stir it every 1-2 minutes. The important thing is that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot; the milk should be simmering.
- Taste after 30 minutes; if the rice is cooked, add the sugar, cook for three more minutes, remove from the heat, and serve warm or cold.
- The next day, it’s even more decadent. Store in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Chilean
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 19.3 g
- Sodium: 70.9 mg
- Fat: 5.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.5 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 6.2 g
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