Sütlaç: Turkish Rice Pudding
Sütlaç — the Turkish rice pudding — achieves its characteristic skin through oven-grilling (fırın sütlaç): the individual clay bowls of set rice pudding are placed under a broiler until the surface develops a caramelised, brown-spotted skin. The skin is the technique and the flavour — the Maillard reaction on the milk-and-rice surface produces a depth impossible in ungrilled pudding. The contrast between the cold, creamy interior and the caramelised surface is the dish.
- **The pudding base:** Short-grain rice cooked in water until completely soft, then milk and sugar added and reduced to a creamy consistency. - **Individual clay pots (güveç):** The clay absorbs excess heat during the broiling phase, preventing the pudding from curdling while the surface browns. - **The broiling:** Under a hot broiler — the surface must colour and blister before the pudding heats through. If the pudding heats through before the surface colours, it curdles. - **Served cold:** The bowls are chilled after broiling — the caramelised skin sinks slightly as it cools, creating the characteristic appearance. - **Rosewater:** Added to the pudding before setting — its floral character complements the caramelised milk.
The Turkish Cookbook