Carnival Recipes: The Rice Bonbon is by Dario Nuti of Rome Cavalieri
Carnival Recipes by Dario Nuti. For this Carnival recipe, we enlisted the help of a superhero of Italian pastry: Dario Nuti, Executive Pastry Chef at Rome Cavalieri in Rome, who shared a recipe for true dessert lovers.
Ingredients for the Bonbons: 500 ml. Whole milk 250 ml. Water 250 g. Vialone Nano quality rice 125 g. Granulated sugar 50 g. Fresh ginger 1 nr. Grated lemon peel 2.5 g. Fine salt 30 ml. Strega liqueur.
- 170 ml. Water 70 ml. Whole milk 120 g. Butter 125 g. Weak flour 00 20 g. Manitoba flour 215 g. Eggs 5 g. Fine salt 10 g. Granulated sugar
Ingredients for the Darjeeling Tea Cream: 375 ml. Whole Milk 125 ml. Fresh Cream 160 g. Egg Yolk 95 g. Granulated Sugar 1 g. Fine Salt 15 g. Darjeeling Tea 125 g. Greek Yogurt
Rice cooking method: In a small saucepan, gently cook the Vialone Nano rice with milk, water, granulated sugar, peeled ginger cut into very small cubes (1 mm), and salt. Cook until the mixture is cooked, firm, and glutinous, but not mushy (this will take about 20-25 minutes from when it starts to boil). Remove the mixture from the heat and, continuing to stir, add the grated lime zest and Strega liqueur. Cover with plastic wrap and let it cool and stabilize for about 8 hours.
Choux pastry method: Let's prepare the choux pastry. In a small saucepan, bring the water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar to a boil. When it begins to boil, stirring first with a whisk and then with a ladle, add all the previously sifted flours at once until a compact mixture forms that separates from the sides of the pastry (called "polentino" or "polentino" in Italian) (this will take about 5 minutes on low heat). Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and reduce the heat, stirring for a few minutes. Then, gradually add the previously mixed eggs until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Preparation and baking: Combine the choux pastry with the rice mixture prepared previously. Using a pastry bag with a very wide, plain nozzle (2.5 cm in diameter) and scissors, cut small cylinders directly into the boiling oil and fry at about 165°C (325°F) until the sweets are golden brown and almost hazelnut brown. Place the sweets on absorbent paper, spaced apart, and sprinkle with sugar flavored with lime, lemon, and ginger zest, previously dehydrated and ground.
Darjeeling tea cream: Infuse the boiling milk and Darjeeling tea (15-20 minutes, covered with plastic wrap), then add the cream, sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Stir gently, then cook in a bain-marie until the cream reaches 84°C (180°F). Then strain into a stainless steel container (set over another bowl of ice) and cool quickly, stirring constantly. Once the cream has reached room temperature, stir in the Greek yogurt and pour into a squeeze bottle. Store at 6°C (43°F).
To assemble: Pour the smooth cream into a bowl or deep dish and arrange the hot bonbons on top, dusted with powdered sugar and citrus ginger. Serve and enjoy!