Baked Rice Pudding with Apples

Nearly every country in the world has a rice pudding recipe, and Slovenia is no exception. Usually, the rice is cooked in milk, mixed with eggs, vanilla and lemon peel and then baked. It can be served as dessert or as a main course if preceded by a soup. Many Slovenians have fond memories of how they enjoyed rižev narastek as children. In this recipe the rice pudding is prepared with apples, but you can skip them or replace them with another fruit of your choosing, for example, raspberries.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 250 g arborio rice

• 1 l whole milk

• 40 g butter

• 4 eggs

• 60 g sugar (or more if you prefer the baked rice pudding sweeter)

• 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla essence

• zest of 1 lemon

• 3 apples (about 350 g)

• cinnamon, to taste

• a pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Rinse the rice under cold running water. Grease a 20 x 20 cm deep baking dish with butter.

2. Put milk, butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer.

3. Add rice and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the rice is soft.

4. Once the rice is ready, remove it from heat and mix in vanilla and a grated zest of 1 lemon. Let cool.

5. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F).

6. Peel, core, and grate the apples. Add cinnamon to taste and mix well.

7. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.

8. Mix in the egg yolks into the rice mixture. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.

9. Fold the egg whites into the rice mixture.

10. Pour half the mixture into the pan. Gently squeeze the grated apples and then sprinkle over the first half of rice. Pour the second half of the rice mixture over the apple layer.

11. Bake for about an hour. Cover with aluminum foil after about 30 minutes so that the top doesn't brown too much.

12. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, slice and serve.