Arroz Con Dulce (Rice Pudding)

Growing up in a Puerto Rican family Arroz con Dulce was something my family and I looked forward to during the holidays.  I learned to make it watching my mom.  She had the biggest aluminum pot you can find. She would make about 10 plates, and believe me all 10 plates would be gone before new years.

I remember the house smelling so good with the cinnamon and cloves. A sign that we were about to celebrate one of the biggest holidays, Christmas.  Christmas brings back so many memories of my mom and dad.  It's really hard, but cooking these dishes makes me happy because I'm keeping up with our tradition. I hope to pass it on to my nephews and nieces.

This recipe is an old recipe, the only thing I changed was not using fresh coconuts. It takes about 2-3 hours to cook the Arroz Con Dulce.  But let me tell you, it is delicious and worth it.

The Arroz Con Dulce came out to flavorful.  You can taste the coconut, the cinnamon and the cloves.  

Let the Holidays begin!!!

Ingredients

5 cups of short grain rice-Sello Rojo or Goya medium

3-15 ounce cans of cream of coconut-Coco Lopez

3 cans of coconut milk

1 cups whole milk

1-15 once can evaporated milk

6 cinnamon sticks

20 cloves

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins

1 cup of dark brown sugar

1 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

fresh ginger-about 2 pieces crushed

2 cups of water-divided

Before cooking soak the rice for at least 3 hours in water to soften so that it can cook quicker.

In a small pot add the crushed ginger and 1 cup of water.  Boil for a couple of minutes then simmer for about 15 minutes.  

In a big cast aluminum pot on medium heat add the cream of coconut, coconut milk, whole milk and carnation milk and 1 cup of water.  It might seem like to much liquid or too much sugar but it's not.  As the rice cooks it will absorb all of the liquid and it won't be sweet at all.  As the rice cooks the sugar looses it's taste, that's the reason for it.  Trust me!!  Remember Arroz Con Dulce is mushy.

Once it starts to boil add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, ground cinnamon, raisins, brown sugar, granulated sugar, nutmeg, and the ginger water. Then add the rice and stir really good.  Mix well and cover but not all the way. As the water evaporates, set to simmer.  Stir after every 20 minutes or so for the first 2 hours then just let it sit covered for the last hour or so.  

This will make about 8 plates.  You can use disposable plates too.   Scoop into the plates..once that's done, wet a spoon and flatten the Arroz Con Dulce.  Sprinkle cinnamon on top.