Top 4 French Puddings

Teurgoule is a classic French rice pudding from Normandy that's even been proclaimed ''the mother of all rice puddings'' by some people. It's made with full-fat Normandy milk, rice, sugar, salt, and cinnamon (and sometimes nutmeg as well). The ingredients are slowly cooked in the oven at a low temperature in an earthenware bowl, and the rice pudding is done when the top develops a crust and the excess liquid has evaporated. In the past, teurgoule was cooked in a wood-fired bread oven, in the leftover embers that remained at the end of the day's baking. Traditionally, this creamy rice pudding is served with fallue brioche and a glass of local cider.Expand

Riz au lait is a traditional dessert based on rice. It's made by slowly cooking rice with sugar, vanilla and milk until the mixture thickens and the rice is fully cooked. Some recipes date back as far as the 14th century, when the dish was made with broth or almond milk. Riz au lait was also often served to the aristocracy, and it was seasoned with sugar and saffron, both very rare and expensive at the time. From the 16th century onwards, riz au lait became more common among peasants, but the dish was reserved for holidays. Interestingly, there is a more elaborate version of the dish called riz a l'imperatrice - it's made with the addition of alcohol and candied fruit.Expand

Coupétado is a traditional bread pudding originating from Lozère. It's usually made with a combination of prunes, raisins, day-old bread, eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. A baking dish is layered with prunes and raisins, the fruit is topped with bread slices, and the bread slices are topped with a mixture of whisked eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. The dessert is pressed down with a fork so that the bread is completely soaked in liquid. It is baked until the pudding puffs up and becomes nicely browned. Coupétado can be served for breakfast, as a dessert after a big meal, or as a sweet afternoon treat. It's named for the coupet, a deep earthenware vessel in which the dessert was traditionally prepared.Expand

Farcement or farçon de Séez is a traditional bread pudding originating from the region of Savoie. It's usually made with a combination of day-old bread, milk, eggs, butter, raisins, dark rum, sugar, saffron, cloves, and cinnamon. The raisins, rum, and water are heated in a saucepan and reserved. The milk, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and saffron are heated in another saucepan that's taken off the heat once the mixture boils. Both mixtures are poured over bread pieces, and they're left to soak for about an hour. Once the bread is soaked, beaten eggs are added and everything is well mixed. The contents from the bowl are cooked in butter over low heat, and once the top becomes solid and the bottom is golden brown, the dessert is inverted onto a platter and enjoyed warm.Expand