Arroz con dulce is a Dominican classic made with rice, and that same sweet magic is applied to beans in habichuelas con dulce.
Arroz con dulce, also known as arroz con leche, is popular in Puerto Rican, Latin, and Caribbean cuisine, and it’s loved in many places around the world! In the states it’s better known as rice pudding, but in DR we put a little bit of our own twist on the dessert.
Difference between arroz con dulce and arroz con leche
Arroz con dulce and arroz con leche are super similar. The key difference between the two is in the flavor and ingredients used.
Arroz con leche is made with regular milk and is only spiced with cinnamon, meanwhile arroz con dulce is made with coconut milk and is spiced with both cinnamon and cloves. This little bit of difference is what sets these two apart!
Rinse the rice before soaking
No matter what I’m making, whether it’s white rice or rice pudding, if it involves rice I always give it a good rinse. In this recipe, the rice soaks for an hour with water, cinnamon, and cloves.
Rinsing it beforehand helps remove excess starch, so the grains stay separate while soaking in those warm, spiced flavors.
Raisins are optional but traditional
Feel free to leave the raisins out if you’re not feeling them, or toss them in if you’re in the mood. For me, it really depends on the day.
Sometimes I’m all for that extra bite, and other times I just want the simple, creamy rice pudding.
Serve rice pudding warm or chilled
This has to be one of the biggest debates of all time: is arroz con dulce better warm or cold? Well, sorta like the raisins, it’s really up to your own personal preference.
I love warm arroz con dulce in the fall and winter, but in the spring and summer I’ll probably gravitate towards the chilled version instead.
The chilled version tends to be denser and the warm version tends to be creamier. Try both and see which you like better!
Arroz con Dulce (Rice Pudding)
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice rinsed
- 2 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 3 cups water
- 1 strip of lemon peel
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 can coconut milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup raisins optional
- Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Soak rice with cinnamon sticks and cloves in 3 cups of water for 1 hour.
- Add lemon peel, salt, evaporated milk, coconut milk, and sugar to the soaked rice mixture.
- Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add butter and raisins, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 10 more minutes, or until thickened to your liking. Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon sticks, lemon peel, and cloves.
- Garnish with a freshly grated nutmeg and serve warm or chilled. Buen provecho!
