Orange Blossom Rice Pudding

Here is a lovely dessert inspired from Lebanese cuisine: orange blossom rice pudding. Rice pudding is a classic in many cuisines, including Middle Eastern. Here the delicate flavor of orange blossom water pairs wonderfully with our lightly-sweetened creamy rice, crunchy pistachios, and raspberry coulis.

Rice pudding takes a bit of time and a lot of stirring, but the concept is quite simple: boil rice in a lot of milk with a bit of sugar. Despite cooking for at least 35 minutes, the rice doesn’t get too mushy. The milk does have the time to boil down and get thick and creamy, though!

Tip: To avoid burning the pudding, stir often, scraping the bottom, especially as the pudding thickens. A flat wooden spatula works nicely.

Science question of the day: Why does it take so much longer to cook rice in milk than in water?

From what I have been able to find, the fat and other solids in the milk are the cause. Rice absorbs water as it cooks. The fat, etc. in the milk, however, sticks to the surface of the rice. This blocks the rice from absorbing water as quickly. Hence, it cooks more slowly.

Ingredient notes for orange blossom rice pudding:

• Rice: I prefer short-grain rice (round rice or risotto rice) because it has more starch on the surface, which, like in risotto, means a creamier texture. Long-grain rice can work, too, though, if you want.
• Orange blossom water: This flavoring is a happy by-product from the production (distillation) of bitter-orange blossom essential oil. Like with essential oils, a little goes a long way! This is a popular flavor to add in many Middle Eastern desserts. We add this flavor at the end of cooking to avoid much evaporating with the heat.
• Milk: I recommend whole milk to get a creamier result.
• Salt: Just a pinch, but it really helps brings out all the flavors.
• Pistachios: Choose roasted, salted pistachios for the best flavor.
• Raspberry coulis (sauce): I chose to use a fruit-rich, lower-sugar jam (Bonne Maman Raspberry Intense) that I heated up as my coulis. It’s kind of cheating, but it was easy, tasty, and I could use the rest of the jar as normal jam. Feel free to make a homemade raspberry sauce or buy a pre-made raspberry coulis as you wish. A few fresh raspberries to serve is a lovely addition, too!

This orange blossom rice pudding is delicious even without the pistachios and raspberry sauce, but they do make a wonderful addition to the dessert, and I highly recommend.

I hope you enjoy my orange blossom rice pudding!

Print Recipe

Orange Blossom Rice Pudding

Lebanese-style rice pudding with pistachios and a simple raspberry coulis

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern

Keyword: orange blossom water, pistachios, raspberries, rice

Servings: 5

Ingredients

• 200 g (1 cup) short-grain rice
• 1.5 l (6 ⅓) cups whole milk
• 70 g (⅓ cup) sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp orange blossom water
• 5 tbsp raspberry jam preferably one high in fruit & low in sugar
• 5 tbsp shelled pistachios roasted, salted, & chopped

Instructions

• Cook the rice: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, sugar, and salt to a simmer. Add the rice, stir, and simmer 35 to 40 minutes until the milk gets thick and creamy and the rice is tender but not mushy. Cover the pot for the first 10 minutes. Stir often, scraping the bottom of the pot, especially towards the end, to prevent burning.
• Add flavor: Once cooked, stir in the vanilla and orange blossom water.
• Put in bowls: Spoon the rice pudding into serving bowls.
• Add toppings: Heat the 5 tbsp raspberry jam until just liquid. Drizzle about 1 tbsp over each bowl of rice pudding.
• Sprinkle about 1 tbsp pistachios over each bowl. Serve warm.

Notes

If the rice pudding is too thin, keep cooking until it gets to the desired consistency. If it is too thick, add some more milk or water.