Dessert Italian

Torta di riso (rice pudding cake with pine nut praline)

Name: Torta di riso (rice pudding cake with pine nut praline)
Cuisine: /italian
Ingredients: 3 cups (750ml) milk; 150g Italian short-grain rice (ideally vialone nano or carnaroli); 4 eggs; 1/2 cup (175g) honey; 2 tbs slivered pistachios, plus extra to garnish; 2 tbs hazelnuts, chopped; 30g pine nuts; 1/4 cup (40g) sultanas; 1/4 cup (40g) chopped candied citrus peel; 15g chopped cedro (Italian candied citron), plus extra to garnish; 2.00 tsp vanilla extract; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; 40g unsalted butter, softened; 1/3 cup (50g) pine nuts; 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar; 2 eggwhites; 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar; 1 cup (250g) mascarpone, at room temperature

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by Stefano Manfredi

Chef and author

Oct 20, 2015

This dish is most prolific in northern Italy, where rice is grown below the Alps from Piedmont to Lombardy, Veneto and Friuli.

3 cups (750ml) milk
150g Italian short-grain rice (ideally vialone nano or carnaroli)
4 eggs
1/2 cup (175g) honey
2 tbs slivered pistachios, plus extra to garnish
2 tbs hazelnuts, chopped
30g pine nuts
1/4 cup (40g) sultanas
1/4 cup (40g) chopped candied citrus peel
15g chopped cedro (Italian candied citron), plus extra to garnish
1 tsp vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
40g unsalted butter, softened

Pine nut praline

1/3 cup (50g) pine nuts
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar

Mascarpone cream

2 eggwhites
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
1 cup (250g) mascarpone, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1.

For praline, line a baking tray with baking paper and spread over pine nuts. Place sugar and 1/4 cup (60ml) water in a pan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and cook, without stirring, for 5-7 minutes until golden. Pour over the pine nuts, cool completely, then break into shards. Set aside.
2.

Heat milk in a pan over medium heat until just below boiling point. Stir in rice, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook, simmering gently and stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes or until rice is soft and creamy. Remove from heat and cool.
3.

Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line a 22cm round cake pan with baking paper. Beat eggs and honey in a bowl, then stir into cooled rice. Stir in nuts, sultanas, citrus peel and cedro. Add vanilla, lemon zest and butter, and stir well to combine. Pour into cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes until set. Cool completely in pan.
4.

Meanwhile, for the mascarpone cream, whisk eggwhites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the mascarpone and vanilla.
5.

Turn out cake, spread over mascarpone cream and serve topped with praline, extra pistachios and cedro.