Chocolate risotto or is it rice pudding..? It is risotto because it is made…well, like risotto, but there’s nothing stopping you from using pudding rice (is there much of a difference between the two, I wonder?). Regardless of the ins and outs, it is as good as you hope it will be.
Conflict and drama the world over could be resolved with a bowl of this and some sensible conversation.

This is another brainwave as a result of a reduced bottle of Gold Top (again). We eat mushroom risotto a lot and I have been having a terrible yearning for a chocolate version (without mushrooms at all, in case you just had a panic).  I have made chocolate rice pudding before, but a risotto version seemed like a more interesting option, especially when the liquid is the divine Gold Top.

I must issue a disclaimer. Risotto takes a long time to cook, and it seemed to take longer using milk than stock.
But you know, it was a dire morning here. The rain is still lashing down – enough to half drown Alex and me on the way to school; no exaggeration – I had to come home and wring out my jacket – and the wind is howling.
So, with some music in the background (I’m getting to that) a stormy, dark kitchen and a wooden spoon, stirring a vat of sweet risotto was an absolute pleasure. Practically a meditation.

You’re wondering about the music, I know you are.
I was quite happy with the radio on, although I was useless at Ken Bruce’s Popmaster today. But if you’re really lucky, your husband will actively search for lots of 70s and 80s bands performing on youtube, whilst you are stirring.
Boston and Journey have a way of making the time pass. Especially when they’re played loudly enough that the cat adjourns to the living room.

I had a whole string of thought about big hair and moustaches whilst I stirred. Did they not have hair conditioner in the 70s? Maybe it was illegal? Or maybe there were a lot of electrical storms that decade. Someone explain the endemic frizziness to me, please, because there was nothing natural about all that facial and head hair.

About 10 mins in, he found a Christmas album from Richie Blackmore and promptly purchased it from Amazon. It was astonishingly good – very folky and traditional. If the female singer had been stirring the risotto instead of me, she would have gone up in flames instantly. Never has so much sheer fabric adorned one human arm. Alex is a fan of Fireman Sam and I found myself saying the words ‘Water on, Penny! Water on, Sam!’ to myself. That girl needed a portable smoke alarm.

I was still stirring. Richie and the blond bint were singing their hearts out. I’m ready for Christmas right NOW. It’s OK though – I can hang on for it. I have a lot cooking to do for Christmas. Help.

In a medium saucepan, on a low-medium heat, melt a knob of butter.
Stir in 125g of arborio (risotto)  rice thoroughly so that each grain is covered with a slick of butter.

Stirring constantly, slowly add 800ml Gold Top milk, allowing the rice to absorb each addition. You don’t have to use Gold Top – whole or even semi-skimmed would be OK.  Skimmed would be a waste of time, as would water.

This will take around 30-45 min, maybe even more if you keep the heat very low.
Like any other risotto, it’s important to go slowly. The stirring releases the starch from the rice, so if you flood it with the milk, it will not be a velvety in texture. It will also be pretty soul-destroying to stir a vat of soup for what could begin to feel like forever.

The milk will not absorb completely, but when you’re there, the mixture will be more cohesive. Until that point, you will have a layer of rice pudding lurking beneath a layer of milk.

When you’re nearly there, like this,

add 1 tsp of (my own! Details to follow) vanilla extract,

then about 40-50g granulated sugar. Don’t add the sugar early on, because you’ll just increase your chance of it catching.

Add 150g chopped chocolate,

stir to melt and combine, then taste and add a tiny pinch of salt.

It’s all come together now….

Serve warm or decant into bowls, press clingfilm on to the surface, cool and refrigerate.

I liked it best hot, Ian liked it best warm and Alex just wanted to sit down with the saucepan and a teaspoon. Try and find an hour this weekend; luxury has never been so calming.

——–

Chocolate Risotto

PRINT THIS RECIPE (opens in a new window)

knob of unsalted butter
125g risotto (arborio) rice
800ml milk – I used Gold Top
1 tsp vanilla extract
40-50g granulated sugar
tiny pinch of salt
150g dark chocolate, chopped

In a medium saucepan, on a low-medium heat, melt the butter.
Stir in the rice so that each grain is covered with a slick of butter.

Stirring constantly, slowly add the milk, allowing the rice to absorb each addition. This will take around 30-45 min, maybe even more if you keep the heat very low.
Like any other risotto, it’s important to go slowly. The stirring releases the starch from the rice, so if you flood it with the milk, it will not be a velvety in texture. It will also be pretty soul-destroying to stir a vat of soup for what could begin to feel like forever.
The milk will not absorb completely, but when you’re there, the mixture will be more cohesive. Until that point, you will have a layer of rice pudding lurking beneath a layer of milk.

When you’re nearly there, add the vanilla extract, then the sugar. Don’t add the sugar early on, because you’ll just increase your chance of it catching.

Add the chopped chocolate, stir to melt and combine, then taste and add the (tiny) pinch of salt.

Serve warm or decant into bowls, press clingfilm on to the surface, cool and refrigerate.