Creamy Baked Rice Pudding

Servings: 6 | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 1.5 – 2 hours

🍚 Ingredients

• **½ cup** uncooked **short-grain rice** (like Arborio or Calrose)
• **4 cups** whole milk
• **½ cup** granulated sugar (plus extra for topping)
• **¼ teaspoon** salt
• **1 teaspoon** vanilla extract
• **½ teaspoon** ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
• **2 tablespoons** butter, cut into small pieces

🥣 Equipment

• 8×8 inch baking dish or 6 small ramekins (as pictured)
• Saucepan
• Whisk or spoon

🔥 Instructions

1. **Prep the Rice:** In a medium saucepan, combine the rice and 1 cup of the milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the milk is mostly absorbed (about 5-7 minutes).
2. **Combine Ingredients:** Preheat oven to **300°F (150°C)**. Whisk in the remaining 3 cups of milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon (if using) into the saucepan with the rice.
3. **Transfer to Dish:** Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish or individual ramekins. Dot the top evenly with the small pieces of butter.
4. **Bake Slowly:** Bake for **1.5 to 2 hours**. The pudding is done when the rice is tender, the mixture is creamy, and a golden skin has formed on top. The center may still look slightly loose, but it will thicken as it cools.
5. **Caramelize (Optional, to match the image):** Once the pudding is out of the oven, sprinkle a generous layer of granulated sugar evenly over the top of the hot pudding. Use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelize the sugar until it forms a hard, dark amber crust (like Crème Brûlée).
6. **Cool & Serve:** Let the pudding cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. It can be served warm or chilled.