Risini (rice pudding tartlettes) - part 2 - the real ones!

Yesterday I wanted to make something good and special for Wally. He is having a lot of work lately and I decided to make him something chocolaty to satisfy his craving. I looked for hours for a good recipe for chocolate cupcakes. I am really not good at making cupcakes. I have tried them more or less 10 times by now and only 2-3 times they came out good. 

Those few times they were, I have to admit, REALLY good. But the other times they were awful! Not that the taste was bad…I think it’s hard to fail in that sense….but they came out so dry that they were almost (or totally!) uneatable. I am on a real quest for a fool-proof recipe of chocolate cupcakes. If you, amazing food bloggers have one, please send me the recipe, the link, write a guest post, send me a basket with a few cupcakes to try J, anything! I won’t give up, not yet!

In the meantime, however, I had to move to plan B but I wanted a good plan B. Those who now read me regularly will remember my risini recipe from a couple of weeks ago. It was really appreciated and at that time I mentioned that that one was a simplified version of the risini I used to have as a kid. So I have decided to keep my promise of trying and sharing the “real” recipe for the risini.

Only one comment: these really were (I’m using the past tense because I barely had the time to shoot a few pictures and they were gone!) like the ones my mom used to buy me!

Risini

yields about 18 risini*

Ingredients

For the crust

240 gr (8.5 oz or 1 cup and 1 tbsp) flour

160 gr (5.6 oz) butter

80 gr (2.8 oz) confectioners’ sugar

2 egg yolks

For the filling

150 gr (5.3 oz) rice for risotto (Arborio, Vialone Nano...anyone you can find)

1 litre (33.8 fl oz or 4.22 cups) whole milk

5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

150 gr (5.3 oz) granulated sugar

*Mine were pretty big. I would suggest making 20-22 small risini

To make the filling:

Put the milk in a pot together with the vanilla extract and bring to boil. Add the rice (previously washed) and wait for the milk to boil again, then add the sugar and a let cook on very low flame for at least one hour, stirring continuously.

When the milk is completely absorbed (but the mixture not dry!), pour the cooked rice in a mixing bowl and let cool completely. When completely cooled, add the eggs.

While the rice is cooking prepare the crust

To make the crust:

Mix the cold butter with the confectioners’ sugar and then add the egg yolks. Mix thoroughly until the egg yolks are completely incorporated.

Add the flour and quickly work the mixture with your hands until you obtain a compact dough. (Do not overwork it though or it will “burn” and you will obtain a very hard crust once baked)

Wrap the dough into plastic wrap and let it sit in a cold place for at least an hour. (I usually put it in the fridge)

To assemble the risini:

Preheat the oven to 350F and greese two muffin pans with baking spray.

Coat the pans with the dough and pour the filling until almost full, leveling it off.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is dry and gold. Let the risini cool almost completely before trying to unmold them or the dough will completely break into your hands (that’s what happened to me with the first one that I was eager to try out!!)

When the risini are completely cold and unmold sprinkle them with confectioners’ sugar and enjoy them!

Have a sweet day!

Source: http://lagolosastra.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-risini.html