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Torta di riso bolognese
Rice and almond cake
Torta di riso: Bologna's dense rice and almond cake, also called torta degli addobbi
In Bologna this rice cake is called torta degli addobbi, after the decorations (addobbi) hung on the houses every ten years for each parish's big religious festival, when it was made and given to visitors. It is a dense, moist cake of rice cooked slowly in milk with lemon, mixed with eggs, sugar and almonds and baked until golden, then cut into diamonds. Traditionally it is soaked with almond liqueur; this version leaves it out, so it is alcohol free. It is gluten free. Contains nuts. Chef's tip: let the cake rest a full day before slicing; it firms up and the flavours deepen.
- Total time
- 110 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 4 ¼ cups whole milk
- 6 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 lemonzest strips
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 eggs
- 3 ½ oz blanched almondsfinely chopped
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ⅔ oz butterfor the tin
- 2 tbsp ground almondsfor the tin
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Simmer 7 oz arborio or pudding rice in 4 ¼ cups whole milk with 6 ½ oz caster sugar, 1 lemon and 1 pinch salt over a low heat for 40–45 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is very soft and the milk almost absorbed. Take out the lemon and cool for 30 minutes.
45 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan). Butter a 24 cm tin with ⅔ oz butter and coat with 2 tbsp ground almonds.
Step 3: Beat 4 eggs and stir them into the cooled rice with 3 ½ oz blanched almonds and ½ tsp almond extract. Common mistake: adding eggs to hot rice; they scramble.
Step 4: Pour into the tin and bake for 50–60 minutes, until golden and set.
60 minStep 5: Cool, cover and leave overnight before cutting into diamonds.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does torta di riso bolognese take?
- About 110 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of arborio or pudding rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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