My mother’s three Easter desserts were bread rolls, rice pudding, and sweet rice pudding. Here’s the proof:
This paper, which I have laminated in a notebook of dessert recipes that I compiled and bound, is a sheet where my mother wrote the three recipes. My mother wasn’t much of a writer, but luckily, she left this legacy.
I’ve mentioned before that we bake bread rolls every year around this time at home, and I regularly make rice pudding, even when it’s not Easter. However, this is the first time I’ve made rice pudding. I hadn’t dared to try it before because, frankly, the recipe doesn’t give all the necessary information.
Besides, my mother only made rice pudding out of habit because, with rice pudding on hand, who would eat the other kind? My grandfather, Papa Andrés, was the one who loved this rice pudding the most, and even after he passed away, my mother continued making it. I never got to try it; she always ended up eating it all.
A few days ago, when I posted my bread rolls on Facebook in the Beas de Segura group—the town in Jaén where my parents are from—Juani López Torres told me that she also made them, even though she lives elsewhere, and that she also made rice pudding. I asked her how she made the rice. This morning when I woke up, I saw her answer:
Juani López Torres: “Well, look. The broth is the same as the one for the bread rolls. You toast the sugar, and when it’s golden, you add the water, orange and lemon peel, a little cinnamon stick, and a few cloves. Let it boil for a while, then strain it, add the rice, and let it boil until cooked. I hope it turns out well for you. I made it this afternoon. Kisses, beautiful.”
As soon as I got up, I went straight to the kitchen. That’s what I did:
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Rice | 110 g |
| Sugar | 150 g |
| Olive oil from Jaén | a splash |
| Orange peel (only the colored part) | to taste |
| Lemon peel (only the colored part) | to taste |
| Anise seeds | 1 tablespoon |
| Cloves | 4 |
| Aniseed | 1 |
| Cardamom | 1 teaspoon |
| Cinnamon stick | 1 |
| Water (enough to cook the rice, approximately 1 liter) | as needed |
Elaboration
- Place the sugar in a pan with a drizzle of oil. Let it caramelize without burning, as this will make it bitter. Keep a close eye on it over a low heat. Do not touch the sugar; you can gently swirl the pan. Turn off the heat when the sugar is golden brown.
- Quickly add the spices and citrus peels. Give it a good stir to warm them through, then immediately add half the water and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let it infuse for a few hours to allow the broth to fully develop its aroma.
- Strain the broth, leaving the cinnamon stick in if desired. Heat the broth and add the rice. Cook over high heat for a few minutes, then reduce to low heat and simmer until the rice is cooked. It’s best to partially cover the pot to prevent the liquid from evaporating too quickly.The rice will take almost an hour to cook, don’t ask me why, I suppose some kind of chemical reaction!!!!! (I’m one of those people who cooks rice in 15 minutes, it doesn’t matter if it’s soupy, creamy, paella….never more because I hate overcooked rice, but this one wouldn’t cook “no matter what”).So when we see that the rice is running out of broth, we’ll add more hot water. It should be creamy but not caramelized. The result is like rice pudding, not like candied rice!
- After adding water and more water, for minutes and minutes (about 50 minutes) I ended up with a delicious creamy rice!!!!!!!!!
- We let it cool in the fridge and serve it, like my mother did, in a platter so the whole family can help themselves!
From now on, in honor of my mother, Josefina, and her father, Papa Andrés, rice pudding will also be a staple on my table on Holy Thursday and Good Friday!
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 290 kcal | 15% |
| Total Fat | 9 g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 20 mg | 1% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 52 g | 19% |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g | 4% |
| Total Sugars | 18 g | |
| Protein | 3 g | 6% |
| Calcium | 10 mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.6 mg | 3% |
*Disclaimer: Nutrition estimates are for general guidance only, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Actual values vary with coconut milk fat content, sugar amount, and rice type.*