Czech Rýžový Nákyp – Baked Rice Pudding
Old-fashioned Czech baked rice pudding with sweet plums, served warm as a sweet main dish.
Servings 6
Calories 585kcal
Equipment
- electric hand or stand miser for the snow top
- baking dish about 10 x 12 inches
Ingredients
For rice pudding:
- 3 cups milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar divided, half for the rice, half for the custard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cups white rice uncooked, rinsed; short-grain such as Arborio
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest freshly grated
- 3 egg whites
- 12 ounces canned plums drained
For the optional meringue top (sníh):
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg whites reserved from the separated eggs
For the pan:
- ½ Tablespoon butter to grease
- ½ Tablespoon breadcrumbs to dust; or line with parchment paper
Instructions
Cook the rice
- In a heavy saucepan, bring 3 cups milk to a boil with half ½ cup granulated sugar and the ¼ teaspoon salt, watching so the milk does not scorch.
- Reduce the heat to its lowest setting, add 1 ⅓ cups white rice, cover, and cook until soft (follow your rice's package time). Let it cool until no longer hot.
Prepare the pan and oven
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the pan with ½ Tablespoon butter and dust with ½ Tablespoon breadcrumbs, or line it with parchment paper.
- Make the custard
- Cream 1 stick unsalted butter with the remaining sugar until pale and fluffy. Stir in 5 egg yolks and 1 Tablespoon lemon zest.
- Fold the custard into the cooled rice. Whip 3 egg whites until softly peaked, then fold in gently.
- Layer and bake
- Spread half the rice mixture in the pan. Cover with 12 ounces canned plums, spread the rest of the rice on top, and smooth it. Bake for 40 minutes.
- Snow top (optional)
- Whip the reserved 2 egg whites to stiff peaks, then beat in the sugar a little at a time until glossy and firm.
- About 10 minutes before the pudding is done, spread the snow over it and return it to the oven to finish, until golden.
Notes
- The butter must be softened to room temperature so it creams properly.
- Cool the rice before mixing it with the yolks, or the yolks may scramble.
- You need 5 eggs in total: all 5 yolks go into the custard, 3 whites are folded into the rice, and 2 whites are reserved for the snow top.
- The meringue top (sníh) is optional; skip it for an everyday version.
- Serves 6 as a sweet main dish, or closer to 8 in smaller dessert portions.
- Serve warm (soft) or slightly cooled (holds its shape better).
- Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Best fresh; not suited to freezing.
- Oven temperatures are for a conventional (non-fan) oven; for convection, lower by 25°F
Nutrition
Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 220mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 354mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 918IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 1mg