Rice Pudding Fans, Eat Up!

Folks were all keyed up from last Monday’s Guest Workout with Cardinal Roger M. Mahony. It wasn’t the exercise part, not even the spiritual talk. It was the rice pudding. The cardinal mentioned that one of his favorite rice pudding recipes came from New York City’s Waldorf Astoria. So, the hotel’s chef has kindly shared the recipe. Here ‘tis:

Rice Pudding (Serves 4)

1 quart milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

3 ounces rice

2 to 4 cups heavy cream

2 ounces raisins (soak until plump)

Combine milk, sugar, cinnamon and rice in steam kettle or thick pot. Bring milk to a boil. Then lower heat and cook slowly (1 1/2 to 2 hours) until rice is tender. Remove from heat.

Add 2 to 4 cups heavy cream until desired consistency. Add raisins.

Topping

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon sugar

2 drops vanilla

2 tablespoons heavy cream, whipped

Combine yolks, sugar and vanilla in stainless steel mixing bowl, place over double boiler while whisking, cook yolk as for Hollandaise. Do not scramble. Cool.

Fold in whipped cream. Place a small amount of the yolk mixture on top of the rice pudding and glaze under salamander.

(Note: Most kitchens are not equipped with a salamander. So, set rice pudding and glaze under a broiler--not too close to the heat--just long enough to brown.)