Rice pudding is a great dessert, but Turkish Rice Pudding (Sütlaç) is the best! If you’ve ever been to Turkey, you know what I’m talking about. For those who haven’t, these two recipes will introduce you to a simple classic beloved by all Turks.
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The Best Turkish Dessert?
Of all the desserts that Turkey has to offer – baklava, dondurma (ice cream), aşure (Noah’s Pudding), etc. – the one that captures the most hearts and palates is sütlaç (pronounced sOOt-lahtch) – known in English as rice pudding. But here’s the thing: it’s not just “rice pudding,” just as Rolls Royce is not just “a car.” The Turks have taken it to its highest form. Once you’ve tasted it, all other rice puddings pale in comparison.
Turks say that the secret lies in using fresh, unpasteurized milk. Well, we can’t always get that here in the States, but we can come pretty close to duplicating the traditional Turkish taste. There are two main styles: sütlaç and fırın sütlaç, the former, an unbaked pudding sprinkled with cinnamon and the latter, baked or broiled until the top is dark brown. This Turkish rice pudding recipe is for fırın sütlaç.
Besides the milk, I’d say the real secret is in the rice. Turks have two types of rice that are only grown in Turkey that are fantastic for pilav and for sütlaç: baldo and osmancık. You’ll have to find a Turkish or Middle Eastern grocery store, or you can order them from Amazon. I highly recommend them. They are the only rices I use now. If you don’t want to deal with finding Turkish rice, then use arborio – your grocery store will carry it. It’s the rice that’s used to make risotto.
Two Styles
I’ve noticed a difference between the rice pudding served in Turkish restaurants and the rice pudding many Turks make at home. The restaurant style is more like a slightly runny traditional pudding with a little rice in it. This is Barish’s favorite style. It is delicious, and I also love it.
The home style uses more rice, so the resulting pudding is almost all sweet rice. This is Handan’s favorite style. It is also delicious, and I love it.
Since I can’t pick a favorite, I’m going to give you both rice pudding recipes. I’d bet that most restaurants use cornstarch as a thickener, but I have it on good authority from Handan’s mother that wheat starch should be used to thicken the pudding. Feel free to use either. I will say that wheat starch gives a slightly more Turkish taste, but really, it’s not necessary, especially since I predict about 0% of you have wheat starch in your kitchens!
This Turkish rice pudding recipe is on the lower end of the sweet spectrum, at least as far as desserts are concerned. It’s still sweet, and it’s still a dessert, but I use less sugar than most recipes call for, and the resulting rice pudding is exactly how we like it in this house!
Turkish Rice Pudding (Sütlaç)
Turkish Rice Pudding (Sütlaç) - Home Style
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups baldo, osmancık, or arborio rice - washed
- 1 1/2 cups water
- pinch of salt
- 6 cups whole milk - (raw milk, if you can find it)
- 2 tablespoons wheat starch - dissolved in a little cold water (can substitute corn starch)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs - beaten
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add rice and salt. Turn down heat to medium low and cook until almost all of the water has been absorbed.
- Add milk and stir frequently until milk is just under boiling.
- Add wheat starch/corn starch and continue stirring until rice is fully cooked - about 20 minutes. Don't let mixture get beyond a simmer or very low boil.
- Add sugar and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Turn broiler on high and move the rack close to the top.
- Using a ladle, remove one cup of pudding liquid. Try not to get any rice.
- Slowly drizzle the cup of pudding into eggs, beating constantly. Set aside.
- Fill small ramekins or oven-proof dessert bowls of your choice. Leave a bit of space at the top. Put bowls on baking tray.
- Using a large spoon, float the egg mixture on top of each of the ramekins.
- Broil until tops are dark brown and charred in spots.
- Remove pudding from oven and cool on countertop, then move to refrigerator.
- Serve cold.
Turkish Rice Pudding (Sütlaç) - Restaurant Style
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup baldo, osmancık, or arborio rice - washed
- 1 cup water
- pinch of salt
- 6 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons corn starch dissolved in a little cold water - (if you prefer a firmer pudding, use 1/2 cup corn starch)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs - beaten
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add rice and salt. Turn down heat to medium low and cook until almost all of the water has been absorbed.
- Add milk and stir frequently until milk is just under boiling.
- Add corn starch and continue stirring until rice is fully cooked - about 20 minutes. Don't let mixture get beyond a simmer or very low boil.
- Add sugar and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Turn broiler on high and move the rack close to the top.
- Using a ladle, remove one cup of liquid pudding. Try not to get any rice.
- Slowly drizzle the cup of pudding into eggs, beating constantly. Set aside.
- Fill small ramekins or oven-proof dessert bowls of your choice. Leave a bit of space at the top. Put bowls on baking tray.
- Using a large spoon, float the egg mixture on top of each of the ramekins.
- Broil until tops are dark brown and charred in spots.
- Remove pudding from oven and cool on countertop, then move to refrigerator.
- Serve cold.
The burnt top is the most coveted part!
Afiyet olsun! (Bon Appetit)
Sara says
This looks delish!! I can’t wait to try it 🙂
Greg says
Thank you, Sara!
Mona Hudson says
At my favorite Turkish restaurant this is my second favorite dessert that I get when I want something not a sweet as my first favorite dessert Kunefe. The rice pudding is my son’s favorite. I’m going to have to try this.
Greg says
Kunefe is also one of Handan’s favorites! I prefer sutlac 🙂
Susan the Farm Quilter says
You have obviously made this frequently! What do you do with that 1 cup of liquid you remove from the rice? Is that the reserved pudding that is mixed with the eggs? Not really clear in the instructions for someone who has never even seen/heard of this dessert before. I would love to try this recipe…always looking for something new to make for my dad!
Greg says
Hi Susan, yes, that is the reserved liquid. I’ll edit the post to make it clearer. Thanks for pointing it out!
Giselle says
I love traditional rice pudding so I will definitely try this. I am glad that there is no raisins in it (something I omit from my recipe). I don’t think I have ever had Turkish food other than baklava (no Turkish restaurants in my small city) so I am excited to try it!
Greg says
Raisins in pudding? Barf! Try this one, Giselle – you’ll be hooked! 🙂
franki says
Rice pudding is my favorite…probably the Eagle Brand condensed milk…*sigh* This made me salivate!! franki
Greg says
Try it, Franki, and thank me later! 🙂
Cristine Meixner says
I made this for my husband, the rice pudding connoisseur who has never really quite liked any rice pudding I have made for him. Although of course he will eat it and won’t make it for himself… Anyway, HE LOVES IT! Reminds me of Mikey in the old cereal commercials: “He doesn’t like anything.” I’m really dating myself, so you can see how many years I have been making rice pudding for the barely appreciative other half. He does have redeeming qualities, luckily for him! Thank you so much Greg. I can finally stop trying rice pudding recipes!
Greg says
Hi Cristine – I know exactly who Mikey is, so you’re not that dated, lol! I’m so happy that you guys liked the pudding! Which recipe did you try? The homestyle or the restaurant style?
Ivory says
This dish looks amazingly yummy. Our household loves rice pudding. We must give yours a try. Yum!
Greg says
You’ll love it, Ivory! Please let me know if you make it.
Cristine Meixner says
The homestyle; he likes it thicker. I don’t really like rice pudding and generally don’t eat it, but I liked this one!
Greg says
Awesome! 🙂
Rhianna says
There are a lot of recipes that involve baking instead of broiling. Why do you prefer the latter?
Greg says
Hi Rhianna, the broil at the end is just to blacken the tops a bit, not to cook the pudding. Broiling is quicker than baking, and it’s the way the Turks do it! 🙂