Name: Lemony Rice Pudding
Total time: 3 h
Ingredients: 6 cups whole milk; 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces/99 grams) sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup long-grain white rice; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Why This Recipe Works

When it comes to simple-yet-sublime desserts, it doesn’t get much better than rice pudding. Tasting of little more than sweet milk and good vanilla, the pudding has a short ingredient list, but we found that the ratio was key. In the end, 6 cups of milk to 1/2 cup of long-grain white rice (its texture proved better than that of short-grain) was just right, but the secret was reserving 1/2 cup of the milk and stirring it in right before serving, adjusting the texture to the perfect creamy, thick—but not stodgy—consistency.

Before You Begin

You can use 2 percent low-fat milk here (the consistency will be looser) but not skim.

Instructions

Combine 5 1/2 cups milk, sugar, and salt in large saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat.

Stir in rice and reduce heat to low. Cook, adjusting heat to maintain gentle simmer and stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until rice is soft and pudding has thickened to consistency of yogurt, 50 to 60 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Transfer pudding to large bowl, stir in lemon zest, and let cool completely, about 2 hours, or let cool and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours longer. Just before serving, stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk.