TwD ~ Rice Pudding

It's TUESDAY, so it's time for another Tuesdays With Dorie

aka TwD ~ (Dorie Greenspan).

This week's host is Isabelle of Les Gourmandises d'Isa

Isabelle chose Dorie's Rice Pudding recipe.

Thank you for hosting us Isabelle!

Dorie chooses to use arborio rice, the medium grained rice usually used for risotto.

I knew I had some Riso Carnaroli in the pantry for making risotto, I was hoping I could use it in the recipe to keep it true to what Dorie had in mind.

I wanted to make sure this type of rice was similar, and happily found that Deliaonline.com had this to say about Carnaroli rice:

Medium- and short-grain rice:

"Here the grains are not long and thin, but rounder and plumper. Italian risotto rice, sometimes called arborio rice, is superb,

or for the finest-quality risotto rice of all, look for the names carnaroli or vialone nano. In creamy, almost soupy risottos the rice is stirred, which releases some of the starch, and it is this that creates the lovely, smooth, creamy mass. The same kind of plump grain is used in Spain, and one of the finest varieties comes from the Murcia region and is called Calasparra, which is used to make paella, though here the grains are not stirred, so they remain firm and distinct but with a moist, creamy edge."

For 3 1/4 cups whole milk only 1/4 cup rice is added to make a rather soft rice pudding.

Some participants noticed that the rice/milk mixture was not thickening at the end of the 30 minute cooking time as directed in Dorie's Book "Baking From My Home to Yours".

Dorie was most helpful and let us know that there is a typo in the book and the cooking time should actually be increased to 55 minutes, so if you have the book you may want to make that notation about the increase in cooking time.

My disclaimer here (and if you love Rice Pudding, I apologize in advance) Rice Pudding is not my favorite. I realize I'm really not a "pudding person".

There is a variation in the book so you can make this chocolate flavored, or fold in some whipped cream. I simply added a small dollop of homemade raspberry jam.

This is probably a good version of rice pudding, but it didn't change my mind, I still prefer my Mom's Tapioca pudding over any other.

But don't allow me to spoil the experience for you. If you like rice pudding, you may like this version!

Psst!!! Don't forget to enter the FREE drawings for one of 3 Great Prizes!

Deadline for entry is November 28, 2008 (9:00PM Pacific time)

Click HERE for details.