By Gregory Chambers
Risotto al cioccolato brings me way back to the days when I used to be at my grandparents' house for Christmas dinner. We would have our big meal celebrate with family. Then it came time for the course that everyone looked forward to: dessert. My grandparents, like most other Italians, liked to bake a lot, especially when family or friends were coming over. So we're not just talking about your typical homemade chocolate cake and coffee for dessert. We're talking mountains of cookies and other baked sweets. There were as many desserts as there were parts of the main course, so you could grab yourself a plate and pile it on. While most of the desserts were pastries or cookies, there was one dessert in particular that caught my attention, that was different from the others, as it was neither a cooking nor a pastry; it was rice―risotto al cioccolato to be exact. You may be thinking, “Ewww, rice for dessert.” You can imagine that was my first impression as well, but you can't judge something before having tasted it. One spoonful was all it took and it became an instant favourite. After my grandparents knew this, it became a tradition to make it every Christmas, as well as some other occasions when I would spend time at their house. The warm, sweet, creamy, chocolatey goodness of the dish made you forget that it wasn't the only dessert at the table. Just the right amount of each ingredient mixed with the bigger grains of arborio rice made the harmony of rice and chocolate possible, leaving you barking for more. The only catch was that it had to be eaten rather quickly, because after awhile, the chocolate would harden on the rice, making it a rather rocker dessert and not as simple to enjoy. It's not something that you can enjoy throughout the week, but no one said you can't make more! Who would have thought that rice for dessert could be so irresistible? Then again, is there a chocolate-coated food out there that isn't a mouth-watering delight?
Risotto al cioccolato brings me way back to the days when I used to be at my grandparents' house for Christmas dinner. We would have our big meal celebrate with family. Then it came time for the course that everyone looked forward to: dessert. My grandparents, like most other Italians, liked to bake a lot, especially when family or friends were coming over. So we're not just talking about your typical homemade chocolate cake and coffee for dessert. We're talking mountains of cookies and other baked sweets. There were as many desserts as there were parts of the main course, so you could grab yourself a plate and pile it on. While most of the desserts were pastries or cookies, there was one dessert in particular that caught my attention, that was different from the others, as it was neither a cooking nor a pastry; it was rice―risotto al cioccolato to be exact. You may be thinking, “Ewww, rice for dessert.” You can imagine that was my first impression as well, but you can't judge something before having tasted it. One spoonful was all it took and it became an instant favourite. After my grandparents knew this, it became a tradition to make it every Christmas, as well as some other occasions when I would spend time at their house. The warm, sweet, creamy, chocolatey goodness of the dish made you forget that it wasn't the only dessert at the table. Just the right amount of each ingredient mixed with the bigger grains of arborio rice made the harmony of rice and chocolate possible, leaving you barking for more. The only catch was that it had to be eaten rather quickly, because after awhile, the chocolate would harden on the rice, making it a rather rocker dessert and not as simple to enjoy. It's not something that you can enjoy throughout the week, but no one said you can't make more! Who would have thought that rice for dessert could be so irresistible? Then again, is there a chocolate-coated food out there that isn't a mouth-watering delight?
Recipe
Ingredients
– 2 tbsp butter
– ½ cup Arborio rice
– 5 cups milk-based
– 1 tbsp sugar
– 1¾ cups semi-sweet chocolate
– 2 tbsp butter
– ½ cup Arborio rice
– 5 cups milk-based
– 1 tbsp sugar
– 1¾ cups semi-sweet chocolate
Procedure
- Melt butter in a hot pan and add rice. Stir until the rice obtains a clear/transparent sort of colour.
- Stir in 1 cup of milk and wait a minute or two before adding sugar.
- Add sugar. Keep stirring often while re-adding milk as the milk in the pan evaporates. Keep doing this until the rice softens and becomes al dente.
- Once the rice is soft and al dente, add the chocolate and stir in, making sure it melts completely. Keep cooking until there is not much milk left and the mixture is creamy.
Photo source: http://www.dabbler.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/chocolate-risottosmall1.jpg
