Easy Arroz Con Leche

Last week I mentioned that my aunt came for lunch for a Mexican meal. I decided that, in addition to making the margaritas, that I would prepare an easy yet traditional dessert. Mr. O-P used to be the one to make rice pudding, and he was really good at it using, what I consider to be the best recipe in the land, the one from Neiman-Marcus. I decided to go for a Mexican version, spotted online, and make Easy Arroz con Leche. It is super simple to make. I stirred everything together an hour before my aunt came so that it was still simmering lightly on the stove when she arrived, scenting the room with the rich fragrance of cinnamon and vanilla. 

Easy Arroz Con Leche

As seen on mashed.com

½ c. uncooked white rice
1½ c. water
½ t. ground cinnamon
2 c. whole milk
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 t. vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, add the rice, water, and ground cinnamon. Bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the milk, condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Stir well. Continue to cook over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, and garnish with additional ground cinnamon and/or cinnamon sticks. 

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Chocolate Toffee Bars

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 Had I not been so keenly interested in covering this cookie with toffee bits, I may have considered some of the darling Halloween sprinkles that are available in the shops today. But, what can I say? I didn't. No matter, the toffee bit topping was a huge hit with the masses that I am trying to feed these days. Consider this bar cookie when a dessert is in order, time is short, and you’re looking for something easy — perhaps portable — that everyone will love.

Chocolate Toffee Bars

BASE
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1½ cups flour

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9” x 13” pan with foil, allowing a 2-inch overhang on either end. This facilitates easy removal.

Cream together butter, brown sugar, and flour, until well blended. Press into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool while preparing the topping.

CARAMEL LAYER
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup butter

In a medium pan over medium heat, heat sweetened condensed milk and butter together, stirring constantly for 8-10 minutes until thickened. Spread over cooled base. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven.

TOPPING
1½ cups chocolate chips
¾ cup Heath toffee bits

Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Bake a final two minutes until chocolate is shiny and soft. Remove from oven. Spread chocolate evenly with a small offset spatula; sprinkle toffee bits generously over the top. Cool and cut into bars.

Banoffee Pie

 I first became acquainted with Banoffee Pie during a trip to Scotland over ten years ago.  Our perky waitress asked us what we would like for dessert and I inquired as to the house specialty.  Without missing a beat she said Banoffee Pie.  When I asked if this was a combination of Banana and Coffee, she indulgently informed me that it was Banana and Toffee.  Ooh, toffee.  I’ll have a slice!  I have been obsessed with this luscious dessert ever since, but years would pass before I located a recipe that could be made here in the States.  Canned toffee just isn’t readily available here, and I had no idea that it could be made by simply boiling a can of sweetened condensed milk.

Once I learned of this process I was raring to go, until I was informed of the possibility of the can exploding and splattering the kitchen with a sticky toffee mixture that would challenge even the most seasoned members of a crime scene clean up team.  But I’ve mellowed over the years, or perhaps become more intrepid (read: foolish) in my old age, and decided to give it a try.  Actually it was very easy and nothing at all to worry about.  

I used a BIG stock pot, boiled two cans at once (one for now and one for later), covered them over the top with an inch and a half of water, set the timer every 30 minutes to keep a careful watch on them, and boiled them at a low boil for 2-1/2 hours.  I didn’t need to add water once, but did anyway, just be to on the safe side.

The result was a can of thick, delicious toffee.

The pie itself is easy to make.  Essentially it is sliced bananas covered with creamy toffee in a graham cracker crust topped with whipped cream.  

Below are the proportions along with a crust recipe in case you don’t have one handy.

Banoffee Pie

1 graham cracker crust

3 bananas, sliced

1 can sweetened condensed milk, boiled to form toffee

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Make graham cracker crust per directions below.  Arrange banana slices on top of the crust.  Don’t get crazy cute with this, you’re just going to cover it up anyway.  Open your carefully boiled can of sweetened condensed milk and admire your brilliance at having made this creamy toffee.  If you have stored this in the fridge, pour contents into a microwave safe bowl and warm it for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each 30 seconds until it becomes smooth and spreadable.  Pour over bananas and spread to the edge.  In the work bowl of your stand mixture and using the whisk attachment, whip cream until soft peaks form, add sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.  Spread over toffee and bananas.  Top with a dusting of cocoa, if desired.

Graham Cracker Crust

1-1/2 cups finely ground graham crackers (I use one packet)

5 tablespoons melted butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter (I mix it all together in the work bowl of a food processor).  Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” pie plate.  Bake for 7-10 minutes.  Cool.  Set aside.

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