Sutlac Recipe- Delicious Turkish Rice Pudding In 45 Minutes

Sütlaç is a Turkish version of rice pudding, a creamy dessert prepared with rice, milk, sugar, and usually with a touch of vanilla or even the zest of a lemon or orange. Compared to most other forms of rice pudding in the rest of the world, sutlac is extra light and silky, with a subtle sweetness. Conventionally, it is cooked in separate clay pots that partially caramelize the top with a beautiful layer of golden-brown, providing a great contrast between the smooth bottom and a touch firmer top. It’s usually served at room temperature, but may also be served hot, straight out of the pot.

Sütlaac is eaten at Turkish homes after dinner, in cafes as a regular snack, and during festivals. The reason it’s popular because it’s decadent and yet never overly cloying, luxurious and yet nutritious.

Sultlac originated in the Ottoman Empire, but rice based milk puddings were consumed even earlier in both ancient Persia and the wider Middle East. The word sutlaac originates from the Turkish word sut meaning milk, which is the main ingredient. Sutlaac was one of the delicacies in the Ottoman palaces since rice and sugar were once expensive goods. Palace kitchens refined the dessert and contributed to its popularity during the empire.

Gradually sütlaac had become a common home dish in all of Turkey, and was celebrated by its versatility and quality for its simplicity. Each region started having its individual variation, yet the pudding still had its emotional base as a warm milk-filled pudding. Nowadays it is one of the most well-known Turkish desserts in the whole world that can be found on restaurant menus next to baklava and kunefe.

A marker of the Turkish sütlaç recipe is its browned top, which is attained through baking in clay ramekins and makes it look an order of magnitude less creamy than similar puddings in other countries, cooked exclusively on the stove.

Even though the classic sütlaac preparation consists of only milk, rice and sugar, there are thousands of different versions throughout Turkey and the world. The best-known one is fırın sütlaç, a baked variant with a caramelted top. It’s usually served alongside a cold drink or tea, sprinkled with cinnamon, or ground hazelnuts.

There are also regional delicacies. In the black sea, sütlaac is often flavored with mastic to obtain a chewy texture. In other parts of Central Anatolia it’s made with more sugar and adding lemon zest to the milk to give it a fresh citrus flavor. Healthy cooks may use stevia, honey or other sweeteners instead of sugar. Vegan options replace milk with almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk which are just a little bit different. Garnishes can be as simple as a dusting of cinnamon or cocoa powder, or can also involve chopped up pistachios, almonds or even shredded coconut.

Enjoying this post? Then you may also like our lahmacun recipe and our chebureki recipe.

Sutlaac is not as easy as it sounds though and it takes time to be perfect in terms of its creaminess and texture.

One important tip is to make sure that you use short or medium-grain rice, which is rich in starch and make the pudding thicker. Long grain rice will remain too firm.

Rinsing the rice prior to cooking, is another most important step since excess surface starch would be eliminated, which would otherwise make the dessert too gluey.

The preparation needs to be gradual and consistent. But first boil the rice in water until it becomes soft, add the milk and sugar. It is essential to keep the mixture in a continuous motion, otherwise it will stick and acquire an uneven texture.

Some cooks put a little bit of cream or egg yolk in it, but this is optional. Vanilla extract, orange zest or a stick of cinnamon can be simmered with the milk to add flavor.

When making fırın sütlaac, pour the pudding into ovenproof bowls, set these into a water bath and bake until the tops are crisp.

Never chill sütlaac until it is somewhat cooled down, because then it will set.

Sutlac is flexible enough, to be used in various moods and situations. It can be served cold so it’s refreshing in the summer, or eaten hot, with extra cinnamon on a cold winter evening. It’s traditionally served in small clay or glass bowls, and is dusted with cinnamon before serving, but some like to sprinkle the powdered sugar and/or crushed nuts for the finishing touches .

Sutlaac and Turkish tea go down quite well. The slight bitterness of the tea works as a contrast to the sweetness of the dessert but it also goes very well with Turkish coffee. On special ocassions, sütlaac may be topped with raisins, dry apricot or candied orange peel, giving it some texture and variety of flavor.

Due to its lightness, sutlac is a great addition and a successor to good hearty foods like kebabs and stews because it does not suppress the palate by being excessively sweet.

Sutlaac should be eaten fresh; however, it can be refrigerated and covered (once cooled to room temperature) for 3-4 days. Always keep sütlaac in separate bowls or in an airtight container to avoid it absorbing the other odors in the fridge.

In case of preparing fırın sutlaac it is also worth considering that in case of refrigeration the caramelized surface might be softened. Freezing sutlaic should be avoided because the rice becomes grainy and the milk separates within the rice after being thawed.

How did you like our Sutlac Recipe? Did you ever try this Turkish rice pudding before? Did you try to prepare it now? If so, don’t forget to leave us a rating and if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below.

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