Rice cake

The recipe

The indicated quantities are suitable for a 24 cm (9.4 inch) diameter cake pan.

Ingredients

• 150 g of rice
• 1 litre of fresh whole milk
• a pinch of salt
• 150 g of sugar
• 3 whole eggs
• 3–4 tablespoons of Sassolino or anise liqueur
• and the grated zest of 1 lemon.

Preparation

Bring the milk to the boil with a pinch of salt.
Once boiling, add the rice, stir occasionally and leave to cook for eight or nine minutes.
Turn off the heat, and once the mixture has cooled slightly, add the sugar, the ‘sassolino’ or aniseed liqueur, the zest of one lemon (the yellow part only) and the eggs.
Be careful, though: the eggs must be added one at a time. The second egg should be added only once the first has been fully incorporated, and so on.
Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured mould and leave to rest for two hours.
The secret to a successful rice cake lies precisely in this resting time, which allows the rice to settle and enables the formation of that famous shiny, slightly charred crust.
Place in the oven at 180° and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven, lightly dust the warm cake with sugar and drizzle with anise liqueur and sassolino.

A Fresh and Surprising Twist

Alongside the traditional recipe, some local artisan gelaterias also offer rice cake gelato, a creative interpretation that captures the authentic flavours of the original dessert.
Often seasonal or tied to small-scale local production, this flavour recreates notes of cooked rice, milk, citrus, and vanilla, transforming them into a fresh and contemporary dessert.
It is the perfect choice for those who want to rediscover tradition with a modern twist.