White Chocolate Rice Pudding, Cherries and Almonds

This is a Bobby Flay recipe, and as usual, have altered it a bit to suit personal preferences. Instead of cherry sauce we make it raspberry, or possibly apricot.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 1⁄2 cups  whole milk
• 2⁄3 cup long-grain rice (such as Carolina rice) or 2⁄3 cup arborio rice (my preference)
• 2⁄3 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla beans (pod, seeds only) or 1  tablespoon  good vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  large  egg yolks (room temperature)
• 3  tablespoons  whipping cream
• 4  ounces  good-quality white chocolate, chopped (recommended Lindt or Valrhona)
• 1  tablespoon  grated orange zest (optional)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  fresh ground cinnamon

• warm cherry sauce

•  preserves
•  cinnamon
•  kirsch
•  whipped cream (to garnish, the real stuff) (optional)
• 1⁄4 cup  slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish

Directions

1. RICE PUDDING:
2. Combine milk, arborio rice, sugar, vanilla & salt, in a heavy, large saucepan.
3. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
4. Reduce heat to low.
5. Whisk egg yolks and cream together in a small bowl.
6. Gradually whisk 1/2 cup rice mixtures into egg mixture(to temper); return mixture to the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly; DO NOT LET BOIL.
7. Remove from the heat.
8. Add white chocolate and stir until melted.
9. Stir in the orange zest(if using) and cinnamon.
10. Transfer pudding to a large bowl, cover, and chill until cold. (Cover with plastic wrap touching the pudding, so skin doesn't form).
11. WARM CHERRY SAUCE:
12. Bring preserves and cinnamon to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat, add the kirsch(or other liqeuer, if using other fruit preserves).
13. Carefully ignite with a long match or just warm through(I think the latter is safer, at home).
14. ASSEMBLING THE PUDDING:
15. Serve pudding in bowls or large goblets with Warm Cherry Sauce, whipped cream, and toasted almonds on top, or layer in parfait glasses.
16. Either way it will look lovely and taste even better.
17. Enjoy!