This Sweet Vanilla Risotto is something I’ve been wanting to blog about for quite a few years now! And I’m finally getting around to it!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
What does our Sweet Risotto taste like?
In our Cointreau and Orange Risotto Brulée, it is the topping that makes the pudding. But in this Sweet Vanilla Risotto with Calvados and Caramelised Apples, every ingredient carries its own weight. No bit players here!
The risotto itself is creamy and not too sweet, just right, in fact. On that base, you have the magnificent complexity of vanilla, the world’s second most expensive spice, but certainly the most popular. Each spoonful of the sweet vanilla risotto on its own is creamy, woody, floral and intoxicating in its bouquet.
The caramelised apples add a honeyed, almost toffee-like sweetness to the sweet risotto. And the Calvados emphasizes the fruity apple aroma of the whole ensemble. And finally, for some added warmth, a sprinkle of cinnamon completes this glorious dessert.
Sheer ecstasy with every spoonful!
What is Calvados?
Calvados is an apple brandy from Normandy, France. It is made from 4 different varieties of apples: sweet, bittersweet, acidic and bitter. The apples are juiced, turned into cider and finally distilled into Calvados, then aged in oak barrels.
It can be served as an apéritif, a digestive, used in cocktails and most definitely, cooked with!
Our equivalent drink here in the UK, is the Somerset Cider Brandy, produced by a single company in Somerset.
You can substitute the Calvados with any brandy or cognac, or skip it altogether if you don’t do alcohol.
Making our Sweet Risotto
So this is a very, very, very easy recipe. All we do is:
- Sauté the rice for 1 minute in butter.
- Add the Calvados, if using.
- Add the milk, cream and vanilla and cook for 30 minutes., stirring from time to time.
- Make the caramelised apples, a 5-minute job.
- Serve the pudding, topped with apples.
Super easy, right?
Which risotto rice to use?
I prefer to use arborio when making rice pudding or sweet risotto, the most commonly found risotto rice outside of Italy. This is because its “gloopier” character gives you the perfect rice pudding texture, while still retaining a hint of that bite synonymous with risotto.
If you are interested, check out the post on Basic Risotto, where you will find everything you need to know about cooking risotto:
- the history of risotto
- risotto rice
- risotto stock
- risotto science (!)
- fat for risotto
- stirring or no stirring
- mantecatura – the art of creaming with the addition of fat (butter, olive oil, cheese), how we finish cooking risotto
Make Ahead Sweet Risotto
You can make the risotto itself up to 2 days earlier. Cool to room temperature, then cover and keep in the fridge. Warm it up thoroughly with a little milk added, before serving.
The apples have to be made just before serving.
Now, let’s go enjoy the recipe!
More Risotto Recipes
For more risotto recipes, just head on over to the Risotto Masterclass page, for gems like:
If you like the recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment and that all important, 5-star rating! Grazie!
And if you make the recipe, share it on any platform and tag me @azlinbloor, and hashtag it #linsfood
Lin xx
Sweet Vanilla Risotto with Calvados and Caramelised Apples
Ingredients
Risotto
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 150 g arborio rice
- 2 Tbsp Calvados
- 750 ml milk
- 125 ml double cream/thick cream
- 120 g white sugar
- 1 small stick cinnamon
- 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp pure vanilla paste/extract
Apples
- 2 eating apples preferably organic
- 1 Tbsp salted butter
- 1 Tbsp light brown or demerara sugar
- 2 Tbsp Calvados or any apple brandy
- pinch cinnamon
Garnish (optional)
- sprinkle of cinnamon
Instructions
The Risotto
- Heat the butter on low heat, sauté the rice for 1 minute.
- Add the brandy and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Slowly, add the milk in, stirring constantly, followed by the cream, sugar and cinnamon stick. Give it all a good stir and increase the heat to medium and let it come to a simmer.
- If using a vanilla pod, split in half with a knife and scrape the seeds out, and add them to the risotto. If using vanilla paste/extract, we’ll add it after cooking, for the strongest flavour.
- Once the risotto is simmering, lower the heat to medium-low and leave it cooking for 30 minutes, stirring it about 4-5 times during that time, especially towards the end of cooking. Just like regular rice pudding, it may start to catch towards the end.
- When it’s done, take it off the heat, stir in the vanilla paste if that’s what you are using, cover, and leave to rest for 2 minutes.
The Caramelised Apples
- In the last 5 minutes of the risotto cooking time, core and slice the apples into wedges, about 8-10 wedges per apple.
- Heat the butter on medium-low heat and and toss in the apples when it’s melted.
- Sprinkle a pinch of ground cinnamon and shake the pan to coat the apples with the butter. Use a spatula if you need to.
- Add the sugar and calvados, and once again, shake the pan to mix everything up. Leave to cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes and for the mixture to caramelise.
Serving
- Dish up the risotto into individual serving dishes.
- Top with the apples, drizzling any sauce that’s in the pan over the risotto.
- Finish off with a very, very light sprinkling of ground cinnamon if you like. Best eaten warm.
I do adore the sound of this sweet risotto! Will it stand up to being made the day before and reheated to serve it the next day, or is it better to make it fresh?
Thanks Lisa. Yes, you can make the risotto up to a couple of days earlier, the apples before serving. The instructions are above, before the recipe.
This looks absolutely delicious and loooks like it could be a great addition to the upcoming holiday thanksgiving. Thank your for this recipe as I am currently learning how to cook.
I love rice pudding (what we call this in Canada) it’s perfect for the cooler months!
Thanks Bianca, it’s what we call it here in the UK too!
oh my god, this looks so yummy. I love the picture that you used, its so mouthwatering
Thanks Nina!
Sounds like a pretty amazing rice pudding there. I have never tried this before but I would love to try this out.
Cheers, David.
This look really delicious. I simply love caramelised apple. I need to find a few of the ingredients and try it out soon.
Thanks Karen.
This is such an awesome recipe and can easily make. Loved the twist you’ve done on this and I may say a highly recommended for everybody.
Thank you, Surekha, much appreciated. x
hmmm I always associate risotto with something savory, like mushroom or seafood. I never thought of it as something sweet. I should try this because I also love the flavor and aroma of vanilla.
Thanks Sigrid, it’s rice pudding by any other name!
It is absolutely a perfect unique recipe to add on my list! This looks so delicious with a caramelised apple. Yum!
Yum! This looks delicious. I’m not very good at cooking but I might give it a go!
That looks creative and delicious! I’ve never really cooked with apples before so I’d love to try!
This looks yummy and very delicious as well. What a great recipe that can easily be cook as easy as one, two & three.
I love the recipe!
I can also use this as a dessert 🙂
It is dessert!
Ok, I’ve just pinned this ish!! Before I read further, my first thought was “this looks like rice pudding”, then I read a bit more and saw it. I haven’t had this since childhood but I have to make it now with your recipe. Only problem is…risotto scares me cos it’s just not any rice…but I’ll power through. Lol.
Oh I LOVE caramelised apples! They are my favourite way to cook apples and this sounds like a great recipe. I’m going to try it!
Risotto is my all time favorite and whenever you update a new recipe on it I never fail to make it. Last one I couldn’t make exactly like u did. This one I’ll definitely do my best.
I have never tried risotto, but this looks really good. I have always been afraid to make it because I figured I would mess it up!!! 🙂 haha
Love the way you describe the recipe in depth, Lin. Thank you!
Thank you, sometimes the proof is in the words!
This looks delicious, thank you. I’m going to give this a go this weekend!
Thanks Jenny, let me know how it goes.
I am in love with your Risotto Masterclass! Once again, can we please use this content in La Bella, with link back? Grazie.
Hey Pina, nice to see you again. Thank you so much, and of course, you can use the article.