Fırında sütlaç

Fırında sütlaç (scorched Turkish rice pudding)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp rice (heaping)
1 1/8 cups water
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream*
1 tbsp cornstarch**
1/2 tbsp rice flour**
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
Cinnamon and/or pistachios to garnish (optional)

1. Place rice and 2/3 cup water in small saucepan; cook over medium heat until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat
2. Place milk and cream in medium saucepan with cooked rice and salt; bring to a boil over medium heat.***
3. Mix rice flour and cornstarch in a bowl; add 1/2 cup cold water, and stir until smooth.
4. Gradually stir starch mixture into boiling milk; stir constantly for 10 minutes.
5. Add sugar; continue stirring over medium-low-ish heat until desired thickness is achieved.****
6. Remove from heat, and pour into broiler-safe dish(es); place under broiler until surface is browned.
7. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours; if desired add garnish before serving.

* Base recipe calls for 4 cups milk and no cream. I have never gotten the pudding to set up with only milk.
** This can (and probably should) be increased in a manner directly proportional with the desired thickness, and inversely proportional with the preparer's time and patience.
*** If one is going for a long-cooked thick pudding (i.e., one that will properly set up), especially if one isn't going overboard with starches, it may be helpful to use a double broiler to avoid burning the rice and to minimize required stirring.
**** Cook until pudding approaches desired thickness or patience approaches end. Some further setting will occur while cooling, so this is subjective, especially given leeway with starches. Bare minimum is 20 minutes. I usually go 2-3 hours. Seriously. But then, getting baked items to set up properly is the bane of my culinary existence.