Horchata Rice Pudding [Lactose-Free]

Ingredients:
1 cup Arborio rice, rinsed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 cups almond milk
2 1/2 cups rice milk
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 vanilla bean
1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Preparing the rice pudding:
In a large saucepan, combine the rice, white sugar, almond milk, rice milk, cinnamon stick and nutmeg. Split the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the pod and add both to the milk mixture. Put the saucepan over low heat and simmer the rice until it turns very soft and achieves a thick, pudding-like consistency, about 30 to 40 minutes. Be careful not to bring the rice to a full boil. Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean pod. Divide the mixture between 8 (7-ounce) ramekins and chill until cool.

Sprinkle some of the turbinado sugar over the top of each ramekin. Using a blowtorch, caramelize the pudding tops until they are golden brown. If you do not have a blowtorch, arrange the ramekins on a sheet pan and put under a broiler until the sugar has caramelized, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Serves 8