Brûlée Rice Pudding

Who likes rice pudding? This is our adaptation from Anna Olson's Sugar cookbook.

For the pudding:

• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 cups water
• 5 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 lemon peels
• 3/4 cup short grain rice
• 1/3 cup dried currants
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup brown sugar, or a little less
• 1 egg yolk

For the brûlée topping (optional):

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat milk, water, lemon peels and vanilla to just below a simmer and stir in rice. Simmer, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lemon peels and add the currants and sugar and simmer 10 minutes more, testing rice. Remove from heat and stir in egg yolk.

Pour into ovenware. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over rice pudding. Bake for 10 minutes until brown sugar melts on top of pudding. Since this double-baking step requires additional sugar, if you are averse to very sweet desserts, you may want to call it done and skip this part.

The currants are a must. Please do not attempt raisins as we made the mistake of doing once and only once, for, in the unlikely event there are seconds the following day, the raisins will be bloated and end up alone in the bowl. As Anna proclaims, currants are the perfect addition, plumping up beautifully and small enough not to overwhelm the dish. Be sure to jot down currants on your marketing list!