Rice Pudding with Pumpkin (Risolatte e Zucca)
Category: Desserts
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Rice flour | 35g |
| Sugar | 55g |
| Whole milk | 100g |
| Fresh cream | 200g |
| Ground cinnamon | to taste |
| Orange zest | ½ |
| Lemon zest | ½ |
| Vanilla bean | ½ |
| Neapolitan pumpkin | 250g |
| Orange zest (extra) | to taste |
| Puffed rice | 40g |
| Water | 50g |
| Sugar (for caramel) | 50g |
| Maldon salt | to taste |
| Hazelnut granules | to taste |
Instructions:
Start by preparing the pumpkin. Peel and cut the pumpkin into large cubes (about 3 cm). Cover it with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes until tender.
While the pumpkin is cooking, prepare the rice “polenta.” Zest the orange and cut the zest into thin strips. Do the same with the lemon zest.
In a saucepan, combine the whole milk and cream. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it reaches 60°C (140°F). Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Then, add the orange zest, lemon zest, and the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean. Stir again and let it rest for a few seconds.
Slowly add the rice flour, a little at a time, while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue stirring for a few seconds until the mixture thickens into a creamy consistency. Keep the cream warm; you can use a double boiler to maintain its smooth texture.
Once the pumpkin is cooked, transfer 200g of it to a tall container and let it cool. Grate the orange zest finely and chop it into a pulp. Add this orange pulp to the cooled pumpkin in the container.
Next, transfer the rice cream mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a narrow nozzle. Set the pumpkin cream aside.
Now, prepare the crunchy rice topping. In a skillet, combine the water and sugar, then cook while stirring with a wooden spoon until it turns amber in color. Once the caramel is ready, add the puffed rice all at once and stir continuously until the caramel coats the rice completely. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow it to cool. Once cool, break the rice crunch into smaller pieces with your hands, being careful not to turn it into powder but separating the grains.
Now that all components are ready, it’s time to plate. Spoon the warm rice cream onto the base of each plate. Add a layer of crunchy rice on top. Finally, create a spiral of pumpkin cream on top of the rice crunch for a beautiful finishing touch.
Your Rice Pudding with Pumpkin (Risolatte e Zucca) is now ready to be enjoyed!
