Maya-Mediterranean Chocolate Rice Pudding

Source: The USA Rice Federation; Reprinted with permission from "The New Taste of Chocolate" by Maricel Presilla; published by Ten Speed Press; Photographer: Frankie Frankeny

This signature rice pudding recipe from notable Latin American chef Maricel Presilla creates a richly delicious addition to the dessert menu. It is Presilla’s idea of what a good rice pudding should taste and feel like—perfumed and sensuous, with the grains of rice almost melting into the matrix of the scented milk.

Steps

1. Place the achiote seeds in a med-sized saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer, uncovered, for 5 min. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, rinse rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain well in a sieve or colander. Tie anise seeds, allspice, cinnamon sticks and dried chile in a piece of cheesecloth.
3. Pour reserved achiote water into a heavy-bottomed 5- or 6-qt. saucepan. Add drained rice, spice bouquet and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med.; cook, uncovered, until rice is soft, 20 to 25 min.
4. Stir in whole milk and condensed milk. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 min.
5. Add chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon to mix evenly as it melts. Cook, uncovered, for another 40 min., stirring occasionally; it should be very creamy but not dry. Halfway through the cooking, split the vanilla beans lengthwise with a small sharp knife and scrape the seeds into the mixture. Add the scraped beans and stir to mix well.
6. When the pudding is done but still a little loose-textured, remove and discard the spice bouquet and vanilla beans. Pour into a serving dish, dust lightly with the ground cinnamon, and serve warm or at room temperature.