The French version of rice pudding is firmly ensconced in the nostalgic, comfort food category of “grandmother’s recipes” today. And it’s become even more popular during lockdown.
Stéphane Jégo’s Riz au Lait Recipe
Rice Pudding
2.5l milk
1 vanilla bean, split
500g short-grain rice
500g sugar
1l cream (Jégo uses Normandy cream)
Heat the milk and the vanilla bean. Add the rice and cook 40 minutes over low heat. When the rice is tender enough to crush between your fingers, add the sugar, and cook 15 minutes more. Remove the vanilla bean and chill the pudding in the fridge.
Whip the cream to medium peaks. Remove the rice from the fridge and use a spoon to break it up and loosen it. Fold in the whipped cream.
Nougatine
250g pistachios
250g walnuts
250g almonds (toasted in the oven with 3 dabs of butter)
125g unsalted butter
190g turbinado sugar
In a saucepan over medium heat, make a light brown caramel with the butter and the sugar. Add the walnuts and the pistachios, and then toss them in the caramel until well coated. Pour everything onto a lined baking sheet containing the toasted almonds, and then set aside to cool.
Salted Caramel
600g heavy cream, plus 25ml for whipping
125g salted butter (Jégo uses Brittany butter)
600g sugar
37g flaky sea salt (Jégo uses fleur de sel)
5½ gelatine sheets, 2g each
In a saucepan over medium heat, make a dark brown caramel with the sugar and the butter. Off the heat, add the cream, sea salt flakes and gelatine. Cook for 30 minutes over low heat. Set aside in the fridge.
Whip the cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the caramel.
When the nougatine has cooled, break it up into bite-sized pieces. Serve the pudding, caramel and nougatine in serving bowls, so that each diner can assemble his or her own portion.