by Sophia Rios
Arroz Con Dulce, sweet rice, or rice pudding, has been with the Spanish for centuries; while this dish originated in Spain, the tasty dessert has been transferred all throughout Latin America, with small recipe changes depending on the region. Typically, we will see rice, milk, and sugar. For added flavor, we love to add spices like cinnamon or coconut. For those with a broader taste, ginger, nuts, raisins, and oranges are thrown in for that extra burst of taste. Often, this sweet dish is reserved for important holidays and celebrations. Puerto Ricans have a huge sweet tooth during the Christmas season especially when you will see this lovely dessert being served.
Although many Puerto Rican dishes were created because of the colonization experienced by the hands of Spain, the cultural taste Boricuas used to enhance foods that stemmed from colonization turned into their own.
This simple traditional meal is easy to prepare and fun to make!
For this recipe, we are going to be learning how to make Puerto Rican-style Arroz Con Dulce. Gather the essential ingredients before you start! For the best tasting results, you will need;
- Rice – short grain or medium grain is preferred for a creamy pudding
- Spices – cinnamon (optionally cinnamon sticks), cloves, nutmeg, and ginger (whole or shredded).
- Coconut milk
- Sugar – all types, though brown is best for coloration and a stronger burst of flavor.
- Raisins – Totally optional! Best substituted with shredded coconut.
- The best pot to use for this would be a Caldero or any type of heavy-bottomed pot.
Step-By-Step
- Start by soaking your rice in a bowl of water. The minimum should be from 2 hours to overnight.
- Take all your desired spices and set them in a pot of coconut milk. Bring them to a boil to create an aromatic mixture
- After you are sure your rice has been thoroughly soaked, start cooking it until it becomes nice and tender.
- With your boiled spices, throw them in your pot of rice, mix it around, and continue the cooking process until your rice has become creamy.
- Chill your pudding in the fridge for around 2 hours, if you see that the creaminess is not to your liking, add milk as needed.
- Simple and done!
Usually, Puerto Rican Arroz Con Dulce is served cold, but it all depends on your preference. If you choose to serve it cold, it will firm up after being chilled. After that, you can cut it up and serve it in blocks, like a stiff pudding
