Chefs' Recipes

George Calombaris's risogalo

Australian Gourmet Traveller Cypriot dessert recipe for risogalo (rice pudding) by George Calombaris.

By George Calombaris
  • 10 mins preparation
  • 40 mins cooking plus cooling
  • Serves 4
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George Calombaris: Risogalo
"The parents of my Anglo-Saxon mates tell them that if they eat their greens, they can have something sweet. My mother tells me that if you have a sweet tooth, it needs to be nourished. For me, this rice pudding is the best way to comfort a sweet tooth and have a great snack. It is comforting and delicious."

Ingredients

  • 200 gm short-grain rice, rinsed
  • 850 ml milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
  • 1 cinnamon quill
  • 160 gm caster sugar
  • 40 gm cornflour
  • 3 egg yolks
  • To serve: ground cinnamon

Method

Main
  • 1
    Combine rice, 400ml cold water and ½ tsp sea salt in a saucepan, bring to the boil over medium-high heat, stir, then cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook until liquid is absorbed (12-15 minutes).
  • 2
    Meanwhile, combine milk, vanilla bean and seeds, cinnamon quill and 90gm sugar in a separate saucepan. Bring to the simmer over medium heat, add rice mixture, stir to combine, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender (15-20 minutes).
  • 3
    Meanwhile, combine cornflour and enough cold water to form a thin, smooth paste. Add to rice mixture, stir continuously until mixture thickens (4-5 minutes), remove from heat, cover with a lid and cool to room temperature.
  • 4
    Whisk egg yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes), add to rice mixture and stir continuously over low heat until sauce coats rice (4-5 minutes). Serve warm, scattered with ground cinnamon.

Notes

This recipe is from the March 2010 issue of .