Torta di riso- Rice Cake
Torta di Riso is a quintessential northern-Italian dessert. Simple cakes or tortes of rice like this are commonly found in many parts of Italy. In Bologna, rice torte is prepared and offered as a good luck gesture to the participants of holiday processions is very typical during the Easter season a tradition that dates back to 1470. Torta di Riso stuffing can contain almonds or a variety of candied fruit.
Ingredients:
10 servings
- 2/3 cup golden raisins
- 1/3 cup gold rum
- 4 cups milk
- 1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 strips of orange peel
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
- Zest of 1 orange
- Pinch of salt
- Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Sweetened whipped cream for serving (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
- Put the raisins in a small bowl, add the rum, and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a rapid simmer.
Add the rice, vanilla, and orange strips.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover the saucepan, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 25-30 minutes. - Put the cooked rice in a bowl to cool; remove and discard the orange strips.
When the rice is cool, stir in the raisins and rum, almonds, orange zest, and salt. - In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until light and creamy. Stir the eggs into the rice mixture. Pour the rice batter into the prepared springform pan.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack.
- When the cake is cool, loosen the cake from the pan by running the blade of a knofe around the edges. Then release the spingform band.
- Dust the top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar.
- Serve the cake at room temperature with optional dollop of whipped cream