Arroz Doce

Arroz Doce, or Sweet Rice, is a staple in many Azorean, (and Portuguese) homes.  It's one of those first things you learn to make since it's so easy.  I made some last night and had my husband document it for you :)

Arroz Doce
3 cups of milk
1 cup of sugar
lemon peels
pinch of salt
1 cup of rice (Medium grain works best)
3 eggs
Cinnamon 

Pull out everything you need first, it makes it easier than trying to read and grab things out of cabinets after you've started.

Pour your milk into your large stock pot. Peel half of the lemon (less if lemon isn't your favorite) and put the skin in the milk

I'm using a homemade "spoon" that my dad made :)  Just an extra little piece of love

Add in your sugar and a pinch of salt.

Stir to help the sugar dissolve

Bring the mixture to a boil

Pull out the Lemon Peels, my mom never did and someone would always end up with a big piece of lemon in their plate....it was like a surprise :)

Add in your rice and lower the heat

My husband insisted on taking a picture of my apron, "Rainha Do Forno"

While you let your rice cook crack 3 eggs into a bowl and whisk.  These are what give the rice the yellow color, if you want more color you can use a drop of yellow food coloring.

Add some of the rice once it's almost done cooking to the eggs so that they don't scramble when you put them into the rice.

Stir and get it all mixed in.

Put the egg and rice mix back into your pot and let the rice continue to cook and thicken.

Once the constancy looks like this, it's done!  If you get to this point and the rice isn't done cooking, take another cup of milk and heat it in a sauce pan and then add it to your rice.  Do not add cold milk to the rice and it will stop the cooking process.

Spread it out on a plate and start to decorate with cinnamon

Ta-da!

Enjoy!  If you  make this recipe, please share your photos with us on our Facebook page! :)