French Rice Pudding (Riz au lait)

French Rice Pudding: Hot or Cold?

When my Frenchman asked me to make a typical riz au lait (pronounced: Ree-olay) years ago, I thought it was a no-brainer. Riz au lait in English is just a French rice pudding.
I remembered what my Scottish Granny and Mum had done: rained in some pudding rice into a pint of milk, added sugar, cinnamon, sultana raisins and nutmeg, dotted it with butter and baked it for 2 hours until a caramelised rice pudding emerged with a film of buttery, bubbled skin.

We ate it warm from the oven as the reassuring aromas of cinnamon wafted around the kitchen. This was comfort food at its best, my Madeleine de Proust; that feeling of drifting back for a fleeting moment. I remembering Grandpa supping his rice pudding using an oversized spoon as my Granny, Agnes poured him more of the coveted extra cream from the top of the milk around the enormous bowl's rim.

My bubble burst. "Your Scottish rice pudding is so different to my Mum's. She didn't have skin on it; I remember vanilla rather than cinnamon, and we didn't eat it warm like this," gently prodded my Frenchman. My baked rice pudding needed to be more French, apparently.

French Baked Rice Pudding: La Teurgoule

So I did my homework and discovered that the French also bake their rice pudding with cinnamon. In Normandy they make a traditional Baked Rice Pudding Recipe (Teurgoule), cooked in a deep terracotta pot and bake even longer for 6 hours. The result is a more caramelised version without the butter.

How to Make a Creamy French Rice Pudding

So it was time to make an extra creamy French rice pudding like hubby had described. Known as 'riz au lait' (pronounced 'reeh-oh-lay'), it's bathed in a vanilla milk and eaten chilled. Personally, I prefer it at room temperature and can't resist sneaking a bowl of it before placing the rest in the fridge once it's cool. Who knew that our differences could be simply down to a cold rice pudding dessert?

This is a cross between two French recipes. Initially by Raymond Blanc's recipe (his Mother's recipe in his book, Blanc Mange). He adds raisins like the family loves it and 3 egg yolks at the end of cooking.

The other is Bernard & Dominique Loiseau's recipe (from 'Cuisine en famille') which uses 2 yolks and only half of the milk, making the rice puddings much more compact.
However, if you prefer yours more compact, reduce the milk to about 700ml (1 ¼ pints).

After many years, here's my riz au lait. Tried, tested and approved over and over by French hubby and our - now adult - baby bears. Enjoy it with a few spoons of homemade apple compote.

Which Type of Rice is Best for Rice Pudding?

The best type of rice is often just sold in supermarkets, labelled as 'pudding rice'. In France, this is simply 'Riz rond' which is best as it's short-grain, round rice.

Otherwise arborio or carnaroli rice (also used for risotto) are good too but if possible, get the round pudding rice. It's not only simpler but cheaper. I have found by using the latter risotto rice, it absorbs slightly less than pudding rice. If this is the case, leave to thicken longer.

French Rice Pudding with 2 Yolks

As we have been mad about making macarons and need egg white recipes, I love using a couple of egg yolks in this recipe. Added to the hot rice at the end of cooking, the result is an extra creamy version (without using any cream) and nourishing too, adding vitamin D and protein.

Temper the yolks first so that the eggs won't coagulate. Before I used to whisk the yolks and sugar together then add a little of the hot rice cream, mix together and stir into the rice pudding. Now I just take it off the heat and add the yolks gradually, stirring well for each.

Once the hot rice pudding is poured into bowls, leave aside to cool then chill covered in the fridge until ready to serve.

French Rice Pudding with Caramel Sauce

If you like a more decadent French rice pudding for dessert, top with salted caramel sauce. For even more nutty caramel, top with this easy nougatine.

This is inspired by chef Stéphane Jégo's restaurant, l'Ami Jean in Paris, famous for his Parisian riz au lait dessert with all the frills.

Feel free to adapt the recipe using the zest of an orange and nutmeg. Cinnamon lovers will for something more warming in the winter months. Fan of Spring rhubarb?

Vegan Rice Puddings

This recipe below is vegetarian, but if you're looking for a vegan rice pudding recipe, try these Almond Milk Rice Puddings. Top with fresh fruits like blueberries, raspberries or strawberries.

What Can I Make with the 2 Leftover Egg Whites?

Enjoy these three quick recipes to use 2 egg whites. What's more, they're delicious to accompany your French rice puddings.

• French Tuile cookies
• Coconut Macaroons and
• Financier cakes