Risgrynsgröt (Swedish Rice Pudding)
Risgrynsgröt, also known as ‘rice grain pudding,’ holds a significant place in Swedish culinary history. References to this beloved Swedish dessert can be traced back to the 14th century, with the earliest record noting its presence at the funeral wake of St. Bridget of Sweden’s father.
It’s stuck around for literal centuries with few alterations to the original recipe and it’s almost always served for special occasions such as Christmas. A fun tradition involving rice pudding is to add an almond into the dish and the person who finds the almond has to perform a task for the amusement of the other guests. Or if the finder of the almond is single it could signify them finding their true love in the year to come.
In the end there’s an obvious reason why this delicious pudding has such a rich history – sweet and simple treats are always taste better when enjoyed together!
Risgrynsgröt (Swedish Rice Pudding)
Ingredients
- 150 g short-grain rice
- 700 ml milk
- 300 ml water
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1½ tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp butter
- ground cinnamon for sprinkling
Instructions
- Place 1 cup of rice in a saucepan along with 1 cup of water and the salt and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes, covered, until most of the water has been absorbed.
- After 10 minutes, add the 3 cups of milk, cinnamon stick and turn the heat up to high. When the mixture starts to bubble turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer gently for 30-45 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the milk.
- Remember not to stir the rice and keep it covered while it cooks to avoid it breaking apart.
- Once most of the milk has been absorbed, take off the heat and let it sit for another 10-15 minutes to give time for the rice to absorb any remaining milk.
- Next, add the butter and sugar to the pan and stir the pudding until homogenous and remove the cinnamon stick. (Check for sweetness and add more sugar if you like.)
- Divide into serving bowls and sprinkle a dusting of cinnamon on top for extra flavor.
- Serve lukewarm dusted with ground cinnamon. At Christmas, hide an almond in the pudding before serving.
Notes
