Growing up, the one thing I wanted when I went to the movies was a box of Whoppers, those malted milk balls. When I was looking around for a flavor to add to a chocolate rice pudding, I remembered that taste.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6 on it¿s own or 8 as part of fourplay

　　

For the Pudding Base

1 cup (190g) arborio rice

　　2 1/2 cups (600g) whole milk

　　1 cup (150g) malt powder (see Note)

　　6 tablespoons (75g) sugar

　　1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

　　2 1/2 ounces (75g) unsweetened chocolate (preferably Valrhona cacao paste), finely chopped

　　

For the Pudding

1/2 cup (120g) whole milk

　　4 tablespoons (50g) sugar

　　2 large egg yolks

　　1 3/4 ounces (50g) bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona Araguani 72% cacao), chopped

　　3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (210g) heavy cream

　　Generous 1/3 cup (40g) cacao nibs

　　

To Serve

Crispy Rice Crackers (page 210)

　　

For the Pudding Base

Step 1

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.

　　

Step 2

Rinse the rice and add it to the water. Cook for 8 minutes and drain. The rice should be about half cooked.

　　

Step 3

Meanwhile, put the milk, malt powder, sugar, and vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Add the rice and reduce the heat. Simmer until the rice is tender, 9 to 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst, or melt in a double boiler. Stir into the rice.

　　

Step 5

Spread the rice out in a baking dish and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic onto the surface. Refrigerate until cold.

　　

For the Pudding

Step 6

Discard the vanilla pod. Measure out 625g of the pudding base and put it in a large bowl.

　　

Step 7

Put the milk and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

　　

Step 8

Whisk the yolks with the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. When the milk is simmering, slowly whisk about 1/2 cup into the yolks to temper them, then scrape the yolks into the saucepan and cook, stirring pretty much constantly, until the mixture reaches 180°F. Keep an eye on the color of the foam on the surface; when it turns the same color as the mixture, you’re very close to the right temperature. Stir in the chocolate and mix with an immersion blender. Strain over the rice and mix well.

　　

Step 9

Whip the cream to medium peaks. Fold it into the pudding with the nibs. Divide the pudding among dessert bowls and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

　　

To Serve

Step 10

Garnish each pudding with a rice cracker.

　　

make it simpler

Step 11

If you don’t want to make the rice crackers, serve the rice pudding with Cocoa Booty or with Pirate’s Booty dusted with cocoa powder.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Malt powder is a sweetener derived from barley and should not be confused with malted milk powder. It’s available online from Terra Spice Company.

　　Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book.Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__