Rice Pudding with Golden Cognac Raisins

Featured as one of the recipes in my Rabbit Hill Kitchen, Autumn Market-to-Table online workshop, this creamy and comforting traditional French-recipe rice pudding with decadent Cognac-soaked raisins.

INGREDIENTS

130 grams / 2/3 cup round rice
1 liter/ 5 cups whole milk
80 grams of sugar
1 vanilla bean
½ cup golden raisins
¾ cup Cognac

METHOD

In a large sauce pot, begin heating the milk, sugar and the split vanilla bean. Once the milk comes to a low boil, reduce the heat and add the rice.

Cook time for rice pudding varies by the type of rice used. In France, we use a rice grain called Camargue; a round-grained white rice commonly used in desserts mixed with milk making it creamy due to the starch content in the rice. My cooking time was 90 minutes at simmer until the pudding was creamy and the rice was textured yet soft. Long-grained rice will take less time.

Bringing it all together

Heat Cognac in a small saucepan and pour over raisins in a glass bowl. Let sit for 24 hours. Rewarm before serving and topping pudding. You can also layer the raisins in the pudding like a parfait.