Torta di Riso: Sweet Orange-Scented Rice Cake
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As a kid I pigged out this time of the year. I knew I’d have to give up stuff for Lent and usually that included a favorite sweet.
So if chocolate was on the 40-day “don’t do” list I ate as much chocolate as I could during the run-up to Ash Wednesday.
If you observe Lent and you’re giving up sweets you gotta make this special rice cake right away. You only have 4 days before Lent starts.
It really doesn’t take much effort to make and you get a huge payoff that will hold you over until Easter.
Just boil the rice in milk flavored with a vanilla bean, lemon and orange zest. When the rice is cool mix in raisins, orange zest and egg yolks spiked with orange liqueur. Then fold in fluffy beaten egg whites pour it into a baking pan and stick it in the oven. How easy is that?
The orange and vanilla bean scented arborio rice is tender, light and moist. The plump raisins add a touch of sweetness and the orange zest a fresh perky note. The golden crustless edge is an extra tasty treat. A dollop of whipped cream finishes the cake in style.
If you love rice pudding this cake will take you to a whole new level of ecstasy.
Rice cake is even better the next day so make sure you make enough. That way you’ll be sure to satisfy your craving and have a leg up on making it through Lent.
I usually didn’t. I cheated.
If you do make it all the way through be sure to watch me make my classic Neapolitan Easter treat, pastiera so you’ll be ready when Easter rolls around and your fast finally ends.
Buon appetito!
- 1 vanilla bean
- 4 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cup arborio rice
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 lemon, just strips of the peel
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
- 1 orange, just the zest
- 1/4 cup raisins
- butter and flour for the baking pan
- powdered sugar
- whipped cream
- Butter and flour an 8-inch springform cake pan.
- Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
- Put the milk, the vanilla seeds, sugar and lemon peel in a pot over medium heat, stir to dissolve the sugar and slowly bring the milk to a rapid simmer.
- When the milk forms little bubbles around the edge of the pot add the rice, stir so the rice doesn’t stick, cover and simmer about 40 minutes or until the rice is tender stirring occasionally.
- Put the cooked rice in a bowl to cool. Remove the lemon peel.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Separate the eggs.
- Beat the yolks with the orange liqueur.
- Whip the whites to a stiff peak.
- When the rice is cool zest about 3/4 of the orange peel into the bowl, add the yolks and raisins and mix well.
- Add the whites and fold gently into the rice mixture.
- Pour the rice batter into a springform pan and bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out dry, about 60 minutes.
- Let the rice cake cool for about 10 minutes then take it out of the pan.
- Shower the top of the cake with powdered sugar and a sprinkle the rest of the orange zest on top.
- Serve at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream.
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