Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (70 g) short-grain rice (or pudding rice)
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 4 cups (1 liter) whole milk
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp fine salt
- 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp cold water (for slurry)
- Optional garnish: ground cinnamon, chopped pistachios, lemon zest
Do This
- 1. Rinse rice, then simmer with 1 cup water until most water is absorbed, 10–12 minutes.
- 2. Add milk and salt. Simmer gently, stirring often, until rice is very soft, 20–25 minutes.
- 3. Stir in sugar. Whisk cornstarch, egg yolk, vanilla, and 2–3 tbsp cold water; whisk into hot milk.
- 4. Simmer 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thick but still pourable.
- 5. Divide into 6 oven-safe ramekins set in a deep roasting pan. Pour hot water into the pan halfway up ramekins.
- 6. Bake at 465°F (240°C) top heat or broil on high 8–12 minutes until tops are deeply browned. Cool, chill if you like, garnish, and serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic Turkish-style sütlaç with an irresistibly creamy interior and a beautifully blistered, caramelized top.
- Simple pantry ingredients: rice, milk, sugar, and vanilla become a restaurant-worthy dessert.
- Great served warm and silky, or chilled and refreshing straight from the fridge.
- Perfect for making ahead in individual ramekins for family dinners or entertaining.
Grocery List
- Produce: Lemon (for optional zest), fresh flowers or herbs if you want them for table styling; pistachios or hazelnuts for garnish (optional, technically pantry but often in produce/bulk).
- Dairy: Whole milk, 1 large egg (you will use the yolk only), unsalted butter (optional, for greasing ramekins).
- Pantry: Short-grain rice (pudding rice, arborio, or similar), granulated sugar, cornstarch (or rice flour), vanilla extract, fine salt, ground cinnamon (optional).
Full Ingredients
For the Rice Pudding Base
- 1/3 cup (70 g) short-grain rice (pudding rice, arborio, or similar)
- 1 cup (240 ml) water (for cooking the rice)
- 4 cups (1 liter) whole milk
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
For Thickening and Flavoring
- 3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch (or 4 tablespoons / 32 g rice flour)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2–3 tablespoons (30–45 ml) cold water (to make the slurry)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For Baking and Serving
- Butter or neutral oil, for lightly greasing the ramekins (optional)
- Hot water for the baking dish (for the water bath)
- Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling (optional)
- Finely chopped or ground pistachios or hazelnuts, for garnish (optional)
- Very finely grated lemon zest, for garnish (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the ramekins and equipment
Position an oven rack in the upper third of your oven (not the very top, but close). Preheat to 465°F (240°C), ideally with top heat or broil enabled if your oven allows that setting.
Place 6 oven-safe ramekins (about 150–180 ml capacity each) in a deep roasting pan or baking dish with high sides. Lightly grease the inside of the ramekins with a tiny amount of butter or oil if you like; this helps with cleanup and gives a slightly smoother edge, but it is optional.
Set a kettle of water to boil for the water bath you will use later when browning the tops.
Step 2: Rinse and gently cook the rice
Rinse the rice in cold water 2–3 times, stirring it with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess surface starch that can make the pudding gluey.
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the rinsed rice and 1 cup (240 ml) water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover partially, and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until most of the water is absorbed and the rice is just beginning to soften. It does not need to be fully cooked yet.
Step 3: Simmer the rice with milk until very soft
Once the rice has absorbed most of the water, add the 4 cups (1 liter) whole milk and the 1/8 teaspoon salt to the pot. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan so nothing sticks.
Bring the mixture just to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low. Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently (every 2–3 minutes), especially toward the end. The rice should become very soft and the milk will reduce slightly. Keep the heat low enough that it does not boil hard, which can cause scorching or curdling.
Step 4: Sweeten and thicken with cornstarch and egg yolk
When the rice is very tender, stir in the 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar until completely dissolved.
In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch, 1 egg yolk, 2–3 tablespoons cold water, and the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until perfectly smooth with no lumps. This makes a slurry that will gently thicken the pudding and help it set nicely in the oven.
Reduce the stove heat to low. While whisking the rice-milk mixture constantly, slowly pour in the cornstarch–egg mixture in a thin stream. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 3–5 minutes more. The mixture should thicken slightly and coat the back of a spoon, but still be pourable and looser than you want the final pudding; it will thicken more as it bakes and cools.
Step 5: Portion the pudding into ramekins
Turn off the heat and give the sütlaç a final stir, making sure there is an even distribution of rice and no lumps of cornstarch.
Carefully ladle or pour the hot pudding into the prepared ramekins, leaving about 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) at the top. Try to get roughly the same amount of rice in each so they bake evenly.
Tap each ramekin very gently on the counter or against the pan to release any large air bubbles and level the surface.
Step 6: Brown the tops in a hot oven
Place the roasting pan with the filled ramekins on a pulled-out oven rack. Carefully pour hot water (from your kettle) into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Slide the rack back into the oven.
Bake at 465°F (240°C), preferably with strong top heat or broil on high, for 8–12 minutes, or until the tops of the puddings are nicely browned with dark golden and deep brown patches. Rotate the pan once during baking if needed so they color evenly. Watch them very closely toward the end; they can go from golden to overly dark quite quickly.
The pudding underneath should still be soft and jiggly; it will firm up more as it cools. If your oven is very powerful, check after 5–6 minutes.
Step 7: Cool, chill (optional), and serve
Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or thick oven mitts, lift the ramekins out of the hot water and place them on a cooling rack.
Let the sütlaç cool to room temperature, at least 30–40 minutes. At this stage you can serve it warm, which gives a very soft, comforting texture.
For a more traditional, spoonable but set texture, cover the cooled ramekins and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours, or up to 2 days. Just before serving, dust lightly with ground cinnamon, sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios or hazelnuts, and add a whisper of very finely grated lemon zest if you enjoy a citrus note.
Pro Tips
- Use short-grain rice: Short-grain or pudding rice releases more starch, giving you a creamier texture. Long-grain rice will be less silky.
- Stir often: Milk and rice love to stick to the bottom of the pot. A heavy pan and frequent stirring on low heat prevent scorching and keep the texture smooth.
- Do not over-thicken on the stove: Stop when the pudding is slightly loose. Over-thickening before baking can make the final texture too firm or pasty.
- Watch the browning like a hawk: Every oven is different. Stay nearby and check frequently during the last few minutes of baking to get a deep caramelized top without burning.
- Adjust sweetness to taste: Traditional sütlaç is gently sweet. You can increase the sugar by 2–3 tablespoons if you like a more dessert-sweet flavor.
Variations
- Cinnamon and vanilla: Add 1 small cinnamon stick to the milk while the rice simmers (remove before thickening) and still use vanilla for a warm, cozy flavor.
- Citrus-scented: Add 2 strips of lemon or orange zest to the pot with the milk and rice; remove them before adding the cornstarch mixture. Garnish with extra zest on top.
- Rose or orange blossom: For a floral twist, replace 1 teaspoon of the vanilla with 1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water, adding it at the very end off the heat.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Once cooled to room temperature, cover each ramekin tightly with plastic wrap or lids and refrigerate. The sütlaç will keep well for up to 3 days. For the best texture, enjoy it within 24–48 hours, as the rice continues to absorb some liquid over time.
You can prepare the pudding base, portion it into ramekins, and brown the tops up to a day in advance. Chill until serving. If you prefer it slightly warm, let the ramekins sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving; do not re-broil, or the custard may curdle.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per serving (1 of 6, without garnishes): about 250 calories, 6 g fat, 40 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 125 mg sodium. Values will vary based on exact ingredients and portion sizes.
