Arroz Doce (Sweet Rice) — A Creamy Portuguese Rice Pudding

This dessert is my all-time favorite dessert. Growing up, whenever my mom asked what I wanted, I never asked for cake — it was always Arroz Doce! This creamy Portuguese sweet rice pudding is a dish that holds so many memories for me, and this particular recipe is extra special because it comes from my Aunt Lilia. Tia, thank you forever! There are actually three versions of sweet rice pudding in my cookbook At My Portuguese Table, but this one is the creamiest by far.

What is Arroz Doce?

Arroz Doce — which simply means “sweet rice” in Portuguese — is Portugal’s beloved version of rice pudding. Unlike many rice puddings, the Portuguese style uses egg yolks to give it an incredibly rich, golden, creamy texture. It’s traditionally served at celebrations, holidays, and family gatherings, and finished with a dusting of cinnamon in a decorative pattern on top. That cinnamon design is part of the tradition — every family has their own style. In the Azores, where my family is from, Arroz Doce is a staple at almost every festivity, from the Holy Ghost Feast to a simple Sunday lunch.

How to Make This Recipe

The key to a perfect Arroz Doce is patience — this is not a recipe you can rush. Start by rinsing your medium grain rice and letting it soak for about an hour before you begin. You’ll cook it first in water with butter and lemon peels until the water is fully absorbed, then transfer it to hot milk and cook low and slow, stirring constantly, until the rice thickens. The final step — and the most important — is tempering the egg yolks. Never add the yolks straight to the hot rice. Instead, spoon a little hot rice into the beaten yolks first to bring them up to temperature, then fold the mixture back in. Skip that step and you’ll end up with scrambled eggs in your pudding!

Serving and Storing Arroz Doce

Arroz Doce is best served at room temperature or slightly warm, spread across a wide shallow dish so you have a good surface for your cinnamon decoration. Traditionally, families create a criss-cross or spiral pattern — it’s part of the presentation and every cook puts their own stamp on it. Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to three days, covered tightly. The rice will thicken as it cools, so if you want to loosen it up before serving again, stir in a splash of warm milk. This dessert is even better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle.

Tips for the best sweet rice pudding.

• Use medium grain rice. It releases more starch than long grain, which is what gives Arroz Doce its creamy texture. Do not substitute long grain or jasmine rice.
• Soak the rice first. At least an hour in cold water before you start. This softens the rice and helps it cook more evenly.
• Don’t rush the milk stage. Stir constantly and keep the heat low. This is the step that requires the most attention but makes all the difference.
• Temper your egg yolks. Add hot rice to the eggs first, one spoonful at a time, before adding the egg mixture back to the pot. This prevents curdling.
• Taste before you finish. If the rice still has a bite to it, add another cup of hot milk and keep cooking.
• Decorate with cinnamon while warm. The traditional criss-cross or spiral pattern is part of the experience — have fun with it.

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

 

 

• Author: Maria Lawton
• Category: Desserts

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

2 Cups of white rice, preferably medium grain
2 Cups of sugar
2 Cups of water
6 Cups of whole milk
4 tablespoons of salted butter
Peel of 2 lemons
10 egg yokes *-/+ to your discretion.
Cinnamon to decorate

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

* Make sure have you rice rinsed and soaking in water for about an hour before you begin making the pudding.In a medium saucepan bring to a boil the rice, water, butter and lemon peels. Then lower the heat and continue to simmer until all the water has been completely absorbed. Making sure to stir occasionally so that the rice does not stick to the pan. Then remove the lemon peels.In a separate medium saucepan, heat the milk until almost at a boil and pour the rice, add the sugar and stir everything together and bring everything to a boil again. Then lower the heat and constantly stir until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. This takes about 30 to 45 minutes or until the rice has thickened to the point that if you take your spoon, you can separate the rice long enough to see the bottom of the pan. At this time you will need to sample the rice and see if it has cooked. If it hasn’t you will need to add another 1 cup of very hot milk to it and stir again until it has been completely absorbed again.

In a separate bowl you’ll need to separate your eggs, since you will only be using the egg yokes. Beat the egg yokes and once the rice is cooked, you will add a couple of heaping spoonful’s of rice to the egg yokes, one spoonful at a time. Then you will incorporate the egg mixture back into the rice pan and cook for another 5-10 minutes so that the eggs can cook.
• It is very important to follow these steps and not jut put the egg yokes into the rice. If you do the eggs will cook and you will have scrabbled eggs.
Last step is to pour rice pudding in serving dishes and decorate with cinnamon.

 

Arroz Doce requires a good-sized pot with enough room to stir constantly without splashing. I recommend this 6-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot on Amazon — it’s the right size for this recipe and easy to clean. And when it comes time to serve, these serving platters are perfect for spreading out the rice pudding and showing off that cinnamon decoration.

Purchases made from using the links on this page means that we may earn a commission without costing you anything extra. 

Love Portuguese desserts? Try my Apple Walnut Cake or Corn Spike Cookies – Carrilhos next.