Rice Pudding with Honey Meringues Recipe

Adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison (Broadway Press)

An excellent show case for honey, maple syrup or molasses. This recipe works best with a runny honey - like Wilelaiki Honey. If using a solid-style honey, you can heat the honey up to 95 degrees - hot enough to liquefy the honey but not hot enough to kill the natural health qualities of the honey - before using.

Ingredients:

 1 cup Arborio rice

 3 cups whole milk

 1/4 teaspoons sea salt

 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar (optional)

 1 3-inch cinnamon stick

 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 vanilla bean - slit in half lengthwise

2 egg whites

 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

ground cinnamon

Directions:

 1. Simmer the rice in 2-1/2 cups of water for 15 minutes. Add the milk, salt, sugar to taste (if using), cinnamon sticks, zest and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. By the end, most of the milk will be absorbed. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the pudding.

2. Whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Pour in the honey with the machine on medium speed, then raise the speed to high and whisk until a creamy, dense meringues is formed. Fold the meringue into the hot rice until it's broken up into little clouds.

3. Serve with a dusting of cinnamon and extra honey drizzled over the top.

Serves 6 to 8