Experience the delightful flavors of Arroz Emperatriz With Cranberry Sauce, a unique twist on the classic Guatemalan dessert, arroz con leche. This exquisite dessert takes the form of a flan, making it an impressive choice for holiday celebrations. Made with cooked rice, cinnamon sticks, milk, and sweetened condensed milk, this rice pudding dessert offers a creamy and comforting treat. The bright zest of lime and orange adds a refreshing citrus touch, while the cranberry sauce provides a burst of fruity goodness. With its creamy texture and beautiful presentation, Arroz Emperatriz With Cranberry Sauce is a perfect option for enjoying a special dessert during the holiday season.
Sweetened Condensed Milk has always been a staple in my home. More than an ingredient that we use to create recipes, it’s a brand that is tied to family traditions and to my roots. I remember my mom and grandma making flan, arroz con leche and a no-churn lime ice cream that was my favorite treat as a kid.
Food is intimately tied to culture and family and for me, creating those recipes that I grew up with and sharing them with my kids is an important way of keeping those traditions alive.
This holiday season I wanted to make something really special; something that reminded me of family since I won’t be able to spend Christmas with my parents back in Guatemala this year. My grandmother used to make an Arroz Emperatriz and I was super excited that I was able to find the recipe. Arroz Emperatriz is a dessert made with arroz con leche that is put in molds and mixed with gelatin to give it a special taste and great presentation. I had no idea that this was a recipe that was printed in the can of LA LECHERA Sweetened Condensed Milk back in the early 70s! I tweaked the original recipe a bit to make it easier and also added some cranberry sauce and orange to give it a personal touch.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cooked rice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups of milk
- 1 14 ounce can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Zest of one lime
- 1 cup of cranberry sauce (or you can make your own)
- Zest of one orange
- Mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup of milk, rice and cinnamon sticks. Cook on low-medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Add one package of gelatin to one cup of milk. Mix until well dissolved.
- Add the second cup of milk to the saucepan and cook until desired consistency.
- Remove the cinnamon sticks and add sweetened condensed milk and lime zest. Mix until well incorporated.
- Remove from heat and pour the rice pudding mixture into lightly greased molds.
- Refrigerate for at least four hours.
- To unmold, tap the sides of the mold a few times and turn over onto a plate.
- Add a spoonful of cranberry sauce and orange zest. Garnish with mint leaves.
As I took the first bite, all of those childhood memories came rushing back; the smell of the kitchen, the family working together in the kitchen to make tamales, cookies and delicious desserts. I love that I am able to share some of these family traditions and flavors with my kids. And I love making the same desserts my mom and grandma used to make for my family.
Do you have childhood memories around food?
Paula studied architecture and now makes a living as a freelance writer,traveler and amateur photographer.She started her writing & publishing career as the editor of Bebé y Mamá, the first parenting magazine in Guatemala.She is the founder of www.GrowingUpBilingual.com and www.365thingsswfl.com and writes articles in Spanish and English for both magazines and the web on travel,food and bicultural and bilingual parenting .
When she is not on a plane or road trip she likes to create recipes inspired in the flavors of her native Guatemala.
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Wow! This looks so delicious! I’m a big cranberry lover, and I’d love to try it.
Wow that is simply gorgeous! Definitely elegant dinner worthy – perfect an elegant get together
Ooh this looks so yummy, i have never had it before but someone buy me some ingredients.
This looks both artistic and delicious! I’ve only just started cooking with condensed milk, so I’m very new to the game, but this looks doable!
That looks like it tastes fantastic! I will have to add this to my list of recipes to try in the new year! Cheers to good food and family!
The ingredients sound so interesting – the lime really surprised me! Sounds very tasty, can’t wait to try it!!
Wow! I see I’m not the only one that thinks these look delicious. They look great for taking to get togethers as well.
What a unique dessert. I’ve been craving some cranberry inspired treats and this one fits that perfectly.
Now I am craving for this sweet delight! I love that it is made of Lechera 😀 Good for holiday desserts!
This dessert looks gorgeous. Cant wait to try your recipe. YUMMY!