Sütlac

Sutlac was the classic rice pudding from the Ottoman palace kitchens. It is a crowd pleaser.

· ½ cup short-grain rice

· 2 cups water

· 4 ¼ cups whole milk, divided

· ¼ cup heavy cream

· ¾ cup sugar

· 1 vanilla bean, split

· 3 tablespoons cornstarch

· Pinch of salt

· Ground cinnamon

In a medium-size saucepan over high heat, bring the rice to a boil in the water.
Lower the heat, cover and cook very gently for about 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the water. Stir in 4 cups of the milk, the cream, sugar and vanilla bean. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining ¼ cup milk, then gradually add it to the boiling rice mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
Lower the heat to medium, add a pinch of salt and simmer for about 15 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently. Transfer the mixture to individual serving dishes and let it cool. Place in the refrigerator for several hours to chill the pudding. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and serve.
Variation: Once the pudding is cooked, transfer it to individual ovenproof bowls and let it cool at room temperature. Sprinkle the pudding lightly with sugar and place the bowls under the broiler until the pudding is lightly browned. Serve hot or refrigerate and serve chilled and topped with ground cinnamon.