Cinnamon Infused Mexican Rice Pudding

I think that very often I feel compelled to cook! I always love to have a cooking or baking project in the works and I cannot stop thinking of new ideas or ways to change recipes to make them even better. This rice pudding is a prime example of that.

Last week as I knew I was going to make some Mexican food for dinner I decided to make some rice pudding to go with it. Looking at one of my favorite tried and true Mexican cookbooks has inspired me to try more of the recipes in this book and others and to add my own spin to them.

I changed this rice pudding by cutting down the recipe quite a bit to make a smaller amount of pudding and intensified the flavors by keeping the original amount of cinnamon in the recipe. I love how the pudding is infused with cinnamon flavor!


This recipe is adapted from my well worn copy of "The Taste of Mexico" by Patricia Quintana.

Yields: about 8 small servings- of about 1/4 to 1/2 cup each.

Ingredients:

1 quart + 2/3 cup water or 4 2/3 cups water, divided

3/4 cup unconverted long grain white rice

2 cups scalded milk

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

2 sticks cinnamon, each about 3 inches long

1/4 cup raisins (optional)


1. Place half of the water in a small saucepan. Place the other half of the water in a larger saucepan.

2. Bring water to a boil in the small saucepan. Remove from heat and add rice. Let the mixture stand for 20 minutes. Rinse the rice well, and drain. Set aside.

3. Bring the remaining water to a boil in the larger saucepan, and add rice. Boil uncovered for a maximum of 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Be careful not to overcook. Drain off excess water. Set aside the rice.

4. Mix scalded milk (to scald the milk you can heat it till it is warm to the touch in a saucepan or heat it for a minute or two in the microwave). with the evaporated milk, sugar and cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan. Cook for about 45 minutes or until mixture thickens and begins to change color. Add the rice and raisins if using. Cook for another 40 minutes or so until the pudding thickens. I probably let my pudding cook down for 50 minutes or more. Remove from heat, and stir from time to time until the pudding cools thoroughly.

I love the creamy texture and the cinnamon flavor in this pudding! Enjoy!